Goodbye, Don Glees! Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Goodbye, Don Glees! Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 22, 2023

The emotional lives of teenage boys are examined in “Goodbye, Don Glees,” a Japanese animated feature that shows little restraint when detailing the agony of deep feelings. Writer/director Atsuko Ishizuka takes inspiration from Rob Reiner’s “Stand by Me,” arranging a highly sensitive study of adolescents trying to make sense of the world, going on a journey into the wild that helps them to focus on dreams and mistakes, with occasional shenanigans undertaken along the way.

Roma is a 15-year-old boy trying to make it through the days in his rural town. He’s newly reunited with best pal Toto, who’s been away in Tokyo dealing with the beginning of medical school. The friends are part of the Don Glees Club, forging a partnership when local bullies and isolation prove to be too much. They’re joined by Drop, a new member, and experience a bonding challenge when they fear they’ll be assigned responsibility for a wildfire after a fireworks display, marching up a mountain to retrieve evidence of their innocence, flashing through their complicated lives and relationships during the journey.

“Goodbye, Don Glees” plays with time, as Roma works through memories and feelings during the story, with Toto’s return restoring some sense of stability as they reestablish their old routine. Drop is the new face of the club, and his youthful enthusiasm rubs off on the older kids, inspiring some comical retaliation efforts when bullies return to view, including a plan to dress as women and wow their enemies with sex appeal. A plot forms with the wildfire incident, but “Goodbye, Don Glees” is mostly invested in character, with Ishizuka trying to remain intimate with the boys as they deal with external pressures and fixations, including Roma’s obsession with a kindly girl he never worked up the courage to pursue.

The writing deals with the idea of “treasures,” with each character figuring out their sense of peace during the odyssey into the woods, coming to terms with life demands they don’t want and dreams that seem out of reach. It’s a potent study of anxiety and concern, but Ishizuka often goes overboard with melodrama, working especially hard to transform the endeavor into a tearjerker when it often plays best with silent introspection, allowing viewers to process all the hurt without manipulative imagery and an overbearing musical score.

Goodbye, Don Glees! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers a colorful viewing experience. With much of the tale occurring in the outdoors, a rich sense of greenery is found, exploring different environments. Outfits provide distinct primaries, and firework displays secure brighter golds and reds. Delineation is satisfactory, and compression largely holds together.

Goodbye, Don Glees! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix is offered in English and Japanese. Dialogue exchanges are distinct, with a sharp understanding of different characters and their individual emotional expressions. Scoring supports with a full sound and distinct instrumentation, joined by clear vocals on pop songs. Atmospherics are active, capturing a sense of nature and neighborhood activity, helped along by mild panning and separation effects. Low-end is appreciable, bringing some weight to fireworks and surging water.

Goodbye, Don Glees! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (10:33, HD) is a conversation with writer/director Atsuko Ishizuka, who covers topics including the ages of the boys, her "Stand by Me" influences, her decision on gender, characterization, personal professional development, movie locations, and her world experience.

• And an assortment of Trailers (7:09, HD) are included.

Goodbye, Don Glees! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Goodbye, Don Glees" is nicely animated for this type of endeavor, capturing expressive characters and the beauty of the world, which helps the viewing experience immensely. And intentions are pure, with the writing interested in the inner lives of teens and their developing ability to understand feelings and actions. "Goodbye, Don Glees" creates a mournful coming-of-age atmosphere, and the "Stand by Me" tingles remain, but overkill eventually overwhelms the movie. Ishizuka isn't going to stop until her audience is a teary mess, and such singular focus on triggering this reaction ultimately limits the dramatic potential of the material.