‘Don’t Say Good Luck’: Sunny Sandler’s Tearjerker Steals the Show on Netflix

Grab the tissues — Netflix’s newest musical dramedy hits harder than expected. Don’t Say Good Luck, produced by Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison banner, hands the spotlight to his daughter Sunny Sandler, and she runs away with it.

What’s the Story About?

Sophie Birenbaum (Sunny Sandler) is a high schooler chasing the lead in her school’s Waitress musical. Just as her dream role lands, her mother Elizabeth’s (Melanie Lynskey) cancer returns. Sophie hides her turmoil behind stage lights, boy trouble, and a shaky friendship — all while quietly preparing for the hardest goodbye of her life.

Directed by Julia Hart, the film balances grief with genuine warmth, letting mother-daughter scenes breathe without ever feeling manipulative.

Why It Works

Sunny Sandler doesn’t just act — she sings live on stage, carrying “She Used to Be Mine” with a rawness that lands like a gut-punch. Lynskey matches her beat for beat, giving a mother slipping away real dignity instead of tired tragedy tropes. Comic relief from Jon Lovitz, Steve Buscemi, and Max Greenfield keeps things from tipping into pure melodrama, while a millennial-coded soundtrack (Fleetwood Mac’s “Silver Springs” over the credits, in particular) seals the emotional gut-punch.

The only soft spot: Sophie’s everyday teen drama occasionally feels thin next to the family storyline — but the final act more than makes up for it.

If you enjoyed heartfelt Netflix originals, don’t miss our breakdown of must-watch Netflix series to binge next for more picks worth your time.

FAQs

Is Don’t Say Good Luck based on a true story? No — it’s based on a fictional story by Laura Hankin, though its emotional core feels deeply real.

Where can I watch Don’t Say Good Luck? It’s streaming exclusively on Netflix starting August 14, 2026.