Don’t Say Good Luck is a heartfelt coming-of-age drama that balances the excitement of teenage ambition with the painful reality of a family facing serious illness. Directed by Julia Hart and starring Sunny Sandler alongside Melanie Lynskey, Max Greenfield and Jack Champion, the Netflix film gives Sandler an opportunity to take on a more emotional and dramatic leading role. Released in August 2026, the film combines humour, music and family drama to tell a moving story about growing up when life suddenly becomes far more complicated than expected.
The story follows Sophie Birenbaum, a high school student who is thrilled when she earns the lead role in her school musical. Just as Sophie prepares to enjoy one of the most exciting opportunities of her teenage years, she learns that her mother’s cancer has returned. Sophie must then balance rehearsals, friendships and the pressures of performing with the emotional challenges facing her family. The story explores how she tries to continue living her own life while dealing with fear, uncertainty and the possibility of losing someone she loves.
Sunny Sandler delivers an impressive and sincere performance as Sophie. Rather than making the character constantly emotional, Sandler captures the complicated mixture of excitement, frustration, sadness and guilt that Sophie experiences. This makes her feel like a believable teenager rather than simply a character created to make audiences cry. Critics have also responded positively to Sandler’s performance, with reviews highlighting the natural way she handles Sophie’s vulnerability.
The school musical provides an important contrast to the family’s situation. Rehearsals, friendships and teenage problems bring moments of humour and energy, preventing the movie from becoming overwhelmingly sad. This balance is one of the film’s greatest strengths. Instead of focusing entirely on illness, Don’t Say Good Luck remains interested in everyday life and the importance of continuing to experience happiness even during difficult circumstances.
The film is directed with sensitivity by Julia Hart, who avoids turning every emotional moment into a dramatic spectacle. At approximately 95 minutes, the story moves at a comfortable pace and gives its characters enough time to develop. Some viewers may find certain parts predictable because the movie follows familiar coming-of-age and family-drama themes, but the convincing performances help make these moments feel genuine.
Don’t Say Good Luck is a touching and thoughtful coming-of-age drama that successfully combines teenage experiences with a much more serious family struggle. Sunny Sandler proves herself capable of carrying an emotionally demanding lead role, while Melanie Lynskey provides an excellent supporting performance. Emotional without becoming excessively sentimental, the film delivers a meaningful story about family, growing up and finding moments of joy during life’s most difficult times.
RATINGS:
IMDb: 6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
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