Aahana Swrup
In ‘Goodbye June,’ the titular character’s looming death affects and influences the lives of her loved ones in indelible ways. Following a medical emergency, June Chesire is diagnosed with re-emergence of her cancer, this time to a terminal degree. Therefore, as she’s only given a few more days to live and she chooses to spend them in hospice care, her family ends up reuniting around her in the sobering build-up to the holidays. Her four children, who have now grown up to the point where most of them have their own kids, harbor more than their fair share of complicated dynamics, which they’re forced to confront in the wake of the inevitable tragedy. Meanwhile, her husband, Bernie, constantly hides behind humor and aloofness in an attempt to protect himself from the reality of the events. Nonetheless, this harmful coping mechanism only lasts so long, until it eventually lands him at the pub, the Fishermans Arms.
The Fishermans Arms Adds Authenticity to Bernie’s Storyline
‘Goodbye June’ charts an emotionally resonant narrative that presents a realistic premise, populated with authentic characters. Yet, despite its grounded storyline, the film itself remains a work of fiction. As a result, many of the on-screen elements in the life of the Cheshire family find similarly fictitious origins. The Fishermans Arms, a pub frequented by Bernie Cheshire, is no exception. In real life, fans would be able to find a number of real-life establishments that sport the same name as Bernie’s pub of choice in the film. For instance, there’s a Fishermans Arms pub in Devon, Plymouth.
Similarly, another restaurant operates under the name of The Fisherman’s Arms in Lincolnshire, Cleethorpes. Even though these real-life restaurant locations are close enough to the project’s filming location, which was spread in and around London, the visuals of the establishments stray from the on-screen bar. Therefore, even though there’s a possibility that these places were employed as the filming location for the on-screen pub, there’s no official confirmation of the same. Still, regardless of a direct real-life counterpart, the pub in ‘Goodbye June’ instills a moment of raw authenticity and relatability into the narrative.
In the film, the location comes into the story after a confrontation between Bernie and his son, Connor, wherein the latter remains exasperated by his father’s inability to properly mourn the nearing end of his wife’s life. Even though the father continues to remain detached and distant, Connor eventually finds him at the Fishermans Arms pub. There, a drunken Bernie performs a somber love song for his wife, which finally helps the son recognize the weight of his father’s grief and the uniquely repressed ways in which they manifest. As a result, the pub becomes a place of unexpected connection and catharsis for the father-son duo. Ultimately, it’s these heartbreaking moments that instill a grounded reality to the largely fictional elements in ‘Goodbye June.’
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