Kate Winslet's directorial debut falls short of potential

It isn’t that myriad aspects of the story told in the family drama “Goodbye June” won't prove relatable to many who watch it.

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“Fine” is good enough but nonetheless disappointing given that this Christmastime-set affair centers around an English family dealing with the impending death of its beloved matriarch. It's the kind of story that should violently stir your emotions. Oh, sure, there’s a reasonably gentle swirling here and there — including, importantly, in the movie's final stretch, which is its strongest — but the guess is you won't go through a whole box of tissues as you, too, bid farewell to June. The titular character is portrayed by Helen Mirren ("The Queen,” “MobLand”), who, unsurprisingly given her immense talent, turns in the strongest work in the film as a woman at the end of a battle with cancer. You'll find no vanity in her portrayal of June, who deals with bouts of immense pain and exhaustion — not just from the invasive disease but also from her bickering adult children. (According to the film’s production notes, the acclaimed performer broke a personal rule, to never play someone who was dying, after being asked by Winslet to read the script)