A subtle yet powerhouse debut from director India Donaldson, Good One’s coming of age story packs an enormous emotional punch. Recent high-school graduate Sam (Lily Collias) and her father, Chris (James Le Gros) embark on a weekend trip to the Catskills, inviting Chris’ friend Matt (Danny McCarthy) and his son along for the adventure. Due to a last minute argument, what was supposed to be a four person party results in a trio of the two middle aged men and 17 year old Sam. The men grapple with their respective divorces and as the camping trip continues, Sam finds herself in a bind that tests the father-daughter bond in a quietly profound manner.
Conversations between the characters render themselves realistic and seemingly improvised, as Chris and Matt’s banter depicts the former as stoic and forthright, the latter as a frivolous dreamer, yet both egotistical about their mid-life crises in their own ways. Sam’s intuitive nature presents her wise beyond her teenage years, her calm demeanor combined with a generous and listening ear. While hiking through the dense woods, Chris badgers Matt for his unreasonable overpacking and teases him for his emotional displays towards the pristine scenery, indirect conflicts between the two grown men that only Sam inherently picks up on. Texting her best friend and crush, Jessie, Sam messages that she’s “heading into the woods”, a phrase that lingers as the last she’ll send until the long weekend excursion is over, as well as an innocent message on the surface that carries a hefty weight of foreboding. As the three spend their waking hours together in near isolation, they become more comfortable in their intimate confessions (Matt sneaking a flask of alcohol into his overnight bag likely contributing to these revelations as well). A failed actor, Matt mourns the loss of his career and broods over what could have been. It is in this open and sensitive space that a brief, understated phrase shifts the remainder of their trip so irrevocably in an emotionally devastating fashion.
Lingering shots of close ups and gorgeous scenic landscapes invite the viewer to slow down and meditate on the internal workings of the film’s characters as well as juxtapose the balance and harmony of nature with the conflicting understanding between Sam, Chris and Matt. What makes Good One so undeniably believable are the minute changes in Sam’s expressions that unravel deep truths, betrayals and pain in her interactions with the two grown men. Donaldson doesn’t need to be obtuse or obvious in her story to portray her characters’ bonding and eventual disconnect as she leaves plenty of breathing room between what’s said and what’s felt, a remarkable display of a director’s finesse when it comes to show and don’t tell.
