‘Good One’: A Delicate yet Powerful Indie Breakout of the Year

A 17-year-old’s perception of her father is forever altered during a three-day backpacking trip in India. This forms the premise of Donaldson’s excellent debut, “Good One,” which hits theaters this Friday.

The plot revolves around Chris (James Le Gros) and his daughter Sam (newcomer Lily Collias), who had planned a family trip to the Catskills with Chris’s old friend Matt (Danny McCarthy) and his teenage son. However, upon arrival, they witness an argument between Matt and his son, who subsequently decides not to join the trip.

Donaldson’s focus on Sam’s facial expressions and deeply expressive eyes sets the tone: it’s clear that this impromptu “boys trip” is unsettling for her. Chris and Matt, both divorced, have lives that haven’t turned out as planned. Chris has a new baby and Matt is still reeling from his recent separation. Their conversation frequently drifts to their failed marriages, including Chris’s relationship with Sam’s mother.

Sam, a perceptive teenager, often rolls her eyes at their lamentations. When she does respond insightfully, her comments are mostly ignored as the men seem entrenched in their own narratives of victimhood and regret.

Throughout the trip, it becomes evident that Chris has overlooked the fact that Sam, despite her maturity, is still just a kid. Sam too starts realizing the imperfections of her father. The trip reveals Chris’s full array of flaws in a way Sam had never seen before.

The acting in the film is exceptional, delivering performances so natural that one could forget they are watching actors. Le Gros portrays the cautious super camper, overly concerned about his daughter’s safety but lapsing in crucial moments. McCarthy plays the part of a failed actor and husband who can be sporadically charming but mostly annoying and disheveled.

However, Lily Collias as Sam is the standout. Her portrayal captures the complexities of modern girlhood with dreaminess, awkwardness, and occasional boredom. Her empathetic and knowing presence carries the film.

Director Donaldson has an extraordinary eye for detail, understanding when a reaction, a wince, or even a blank stare can convey profound meaning. She aptly shifts focus away from dialogue to allow the audience moments of reflection through nature scenes. A poignant choice was to portray Sam dealing with her period, a silent struggle conducted behind trees and bushes while the men wait, emphasizing her silent strength and resilience.

In one notable scene, the men fantasize about their alternative lives—Matt aspiring to be a philosopher and Chris dreaming of owning a bookstore. When they ask Sam about her future, she replies that she still has the chance to decide, a hopeful note amid the melancholy.

The film’s stakes may seem small compared to blockbuster landscapes filled with deadly tornadoes, apocalypses, and colliding multiverses, but that’s what makes “Good One” so special. It portrays humanity with all its beauties and disappointments in a way that most of us can relate to. This story will likely linger in the minds of its audience long after the credits roll.

“Good One,” released by Metrograph Pictures in limited theaters this Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “language.” The film runs for 90 minutes and has received a rating of four stars out of four.

Source: Metrograph Pictures