Goodbye, Don Glees! (2022)

Goodbye, Don Glees! feels like a sunlit memory you didn’t realize you’d been carrying around: an adventurous coming-of-age story that’s as funny and scrappy as it is quietly devastating. Its animation isn’t just pretty—every background breathes with summer air and every small gesture between friends tells you who they are, even when they can’t say it out loud. The film captures that aching moment when childhood games start bumping up against adult consequences, turning a simple trek into the kind of journey that changes how you see the people you love. If you’re allergic to tender, reflective stories that take their time to land an emotional punch, it may not be your pace—but if you’ve ever missed a friend before they were even gone, it’s absolutely worth the walk into the woods.

Goodbye, Don Glees! clearly wants to be a heartfelt coming-of-age trek about friendship cracking under the pressure of growing up, and visually it often delivers with lush, atmospheric animation. The problem is the storytelling can feel uneven: the middle rushes through big turns, the pacing lurches between quiet bonding and sudden drama, and the fantasy flourishes and musical beats may strike you as random rather than meaningful. It also leans hard into melodrama, so if you prefer subtle emotion and tight plotting, you might find yourself rolling your eyes instead of tearing up. Still, if you’re willing to forgive a wobbly script for strong mood, scenery, and a sincere emotional swing, it can land.