Greetings again from the darkness. “Break a leg.” The well-meaning phrase dates back many years as a way to avoid the dreaded ‘good luck’ for someone preparing to perform on stage. When high school sophomore Sophie explains this to her mother, the mom hugs her and offers how bad she would feel if her daughter actually broke her leg. Such is the love of a mother … this particular mother … in this heartfelt movie from director Julia Hart, who co-wrote the screenplay with her husband Jordan Horowitz and Laura Hankin. It’s based on Ms. Hankin’s own personal story.
Sophie is played by Sunny Sandler (daughter of Adam, who also produces the film). She’s nervous for her audition for the “Waitress” musical at school. A butt dial from dear old dad (Max Greenfield) unwittingly clues her in to the return of mom’s (Melanie Lynskey) cancer. This happens just before Sophie’s turn on stage, and the real emotions shown impress the director (Stephanie Beatriz) and win her the lead role. Sophie’s big moment is tempered by her mom’s horrible news.
Sophie’s grandparents (Steve Buscemi, Bebe Neuwirth) arrive to ‘help’, and while grandpa offers driving lessons, grandma overreacts to everything, bringing more stress to an environment already on edge. So, while emotions are in overdrive, the comedy relief is provided by Jon Lovitz (a Sandler favorite) at the family bagel shop. The laughs are welcome due to the intensity of emotions shown by both mother-daughter relationships, and the BFF dynamic between Sophie and Carolyn (Scarlett Estevez). Plenty of teen angst and grown-up drama is on display, yet Ms. Sandler, and especially Ms. Lynskey both deliver such believable and strong performances, that the scales never tip.
Drama on the school stage would be enough for most teens, although life often delivers more than what seems fair. Mom wants Sophie to pursue her dreams, while Sophie doesn’t want to miss a moment with her mother. Plenty of tears flow, and yet, the interactions and situations mostly are handled in a way that seems realistic and true-to-the-moment.
Premiering on Netflix on August 14, 2026
Posted by David Ferguson 
Movie Reviews from the Dark 