The Good American Family
By Sioph W. Leal
The Good American Family is inspired by real events that show a midwestern couple, Kristine (Ellen Pompeo) and Michael (Mark Duplass) Barnett, who adopt Natalia Grace (Imogen Faith Reid), an eight-year-old girl with a rare form of dwarfism. As Kristine and Michael raise Natalia alongside their three biological sons, Kristine begins to question Natalia’s age and background. Good American Family tries to tackle themes around child neglect, manipulation and child abuse, all concluding in a battle played out in the tabloids on court room.
Shifting perspectives is a key aspect in The Good American Family, starting off with Kristine Barlett, the matriarch and self-titled autism and special needs champion. While Kristine spends the first two episodes being the focus of the perspective, it’s clear that she is fighting for the façade of being a good mother rather than leading with good intentions. The character of Kristine feels like she should be drawing you in, wanting to get the viewer to root for her in her first two episodes, but pacing and performance issues make it hard to connect with Kristine. Having different view points each episode offers a great insight into the dynamics of the characters and what their drive is. For some, it’s clear that it's to keep up the persona of a loving mother, while others effortlessly do that without any ounce of greed. As the perspectives change, The Good American Family delves deeper into the child abuse aspects of the series.
Taking such a complicated role of Natalia Grace would be difficult for many seasoned actors, but Imogen Faith Reid proves that you don’t need a long list of credits to shine. Good American Family is much stronger when Natalia’s perspective is shown, and that is largely due to Reid’s portrayal. Reid manages to capture the playful, youthful part of an eight-year-old child, but when the more sinister perspectives are shown, Reid delivers a masterclass. When Cynthia Mans (Christine Hendricks) arrives, it is like a breath of fresh air. Providing a stark contract to the ‘mother’ character, Cynthia shows a mother who loves without cost, even through the good and the bad. Hendrick’s naturally gives off a warmth that Kristine never could, though this could partly be because of the acting choices, while offering the stability and safety that Natalia needed from the start. Both Hendricks and Reid steal the show, their performances are subtle but impactful and by the end of the sixth episode, the pair will have your heart racing with joy that they find each other but also make you nauseous when the true depth of the depravity that Natalia was subjected to is revealed.
Though Dulé Hill doesn’t have as much screen time as his character or performance deserve, he is an integral part in bringing justice and compassion to the series. Although his time is brief in The Good American Family, he brings a depth of justice and compassion to Detective Brandon Drysdale that makes him one of the few characters you actually root for.
Pompeo takes on this controversial role, her first role since leaving her long-time drama Grey’s Anatomy, but despite her longevity in the entertainment industry, Pompeo struggles to capture the nuances of Kristine Barnett. Pompeo’s performance feels emotionally flat, disconnected from her other scene partners, at times it’s clear that Pompeo is waiting for her line rather than delivering the right emotional response, noticeably more so when Natalia’s character takes more of a lead. Pompeo has been a familiar face for nineteen seasons on Grey’s Anatomy, and The Good American Family utilises this familiarity viewers will have with her. Kirsten is supposed to be the embodiment of a mother, a safe place for those in need, and with Pompeo’s long standing on her other project, naturally you form a bias to her character before more is revealed.
While The Good American Family has potential, it’s weighed down by poor pacing, weak performances and a frustrating detachment with what should be an emotional core. The show’s attempt to explore the complexities of adoption, abuse, and manipulation never quite lands, leaving viewers feeling more perplexed and disconnected than invested in the characters’ journeys, more so with the Barnett parents. Had the titular roles of Kristine and Michael Barnett been re-casted, it could have vastly improved the series. With a stronger lead and more consistent writing, this could have been a compelling drama, but as it stands, it’s a frustrating watch that fails to live up to its promise, but that shouldn’t take away from Imogen Faith Reid’s outstanding performance.