Don't Say Good Luck: A poignant character drama

Don't Say Good Luck (2026) • View trailerFour stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for thematic material, fleeting profanity, teen drinking and mild sexual referencesAvailable via: NetflixBy Derrick BangSunny Sandler’s delicately nuanced starring performance fuels this charming little character drama, although — in fairness — director Julia Hart draws finely shaded work from every member of this carefully assembled cast. Sophie (Sunny Sandler, left) and her mother Elizabeth (Melanie Lynskey) make the mostof a mall outing designed to help the young woman improve her stage confidence.As I well recall from her handling of 2020’s equally captivating Stargirl, Hart excels at depicting the bond between adults and teenagers, whether parents and their children, or — also, in this case — drama coaches and their nervous young actors.The setting is a contemporary suburban community — principle filming took place in New Jersey — with much of the action centered at Westridge High School. Sophie…