Shocking Truths Unveiled as Teen Battles Massive Aggressions in ‘Good One’ – Must Read Review!

Good One: A Coming of Age Journey

In “Good One,” a woodland hike transforms into a study of human character. This engrossing, insightful, and beautifully crafted film marks the first feature by writer-director India Donaldson and follows a 17-year-old poised on the precipice of adulthood. The movie, with its authentic atmosphere and escalating tension, is a gem of independent cinema, with the careful craftsmanship, humor, revelations, and enigmas that bolster its character study.

Focused on the life of Sam (played by newcomer Lily Collias), a New York girl dealing with her parents’ divorce, the film follows her and her remarried architect father, Chris (James Le Gros), on a trip Upstate. Intended to be a group of four, the last-minute withdrawal of the teenage son of Chris’s old friend Matt (Danny McCarthy), leaves them as a group of three, isolating Sam. Collias expertly portrays Sam’s disappointment wordlessly from the backseat of the SUV. Over the course of a demanding weekend, we become intimately acquainted with Sam’s Mona Lisa-like expressions, as they subtly reveal her internal contemplation: “How did I end up here?”

The journey soon becomes the Chris and Matt show, an ongoing duologue filled with disputes, quirks, and grievances, hinting at a friendship between two opposites that has outlived its expiration date. Chris, played with finesse by the underrated James Le Gros, is a rigid, overly prepared weekend adventurer with little patience for Matt’s disorganized nature and self-glorifying banter. Matt, on the other hand, is paternalistic and pseudo-philosophical, yet McCarthy’s performance brilliantly reveals a man barely maintaining his self-esteem, deeply depressed by the course his life has taken and wounded by Chris’s barbs.

This leaves Sam in a position where she is not only the sole recipient of the duo’s “kids these days” mockery, but also finds herself alternating between the roles of personal assistant, cook, advisor, and mediator. (A scene where Sam attends to her menstrual cycle behind a tree feels like an ill-timed break from work.) What was supposed to be a quality vacation with loved ones morphs into an oppressive scenario. Even her empathy becomes a weapon: whenever she indulges Matt’s harmless ramblings or shares a laugh with him, her father’s annoyance is palpably heightened.

“Good One” masterfully showcases a young woman’s emotional acuity, much like a Kelly Reichardt film such as “Certain Women.” So, when a pivotal event unexpectedly occurs, it takes the viewer by surprise. However, it’s not a plot twist (no spoilers here). Instead, it’s an integral turning point, and Donaldson, who avoids melodrama, uses it to pave the way for a finale filled with decision-making and discovery, highlighting Sam’s evolution into a more self-assured individual after this enlightening journey.

The psychological depth and artistry of this film are remarkably confident, from Wilson Cameron’s cinematography that beautifully captures the allure of nature and human faces, to the subtly diverse and emotionally resonant music. However, what truly excites me about Donaldson as a filmmaker is her appreciation for the lost art of scene work. The fundamental elements of human interaction—movement, composition, dialogue, pacing, depth, and in this case, the introduction of a talented newcomer like Collias—are what bind us to a film’s internal rhythm, its unspoken aspects. “Good One” is as comprehensive a narrative as you’ll encounter this year, and for those seeking a simmering exploration of human nature, it’s the perfect destination.