Sundance 2024

IIn Good One, writer-director India Donaldson explores the tensions between a father, his daughter, and his best friend during a weekend backpacking trip in the Catskills. The film centers on 17-year-old Sam, played with quiet strength by Lily Collias, as she contends with the clashing egos of her father, Chris (James Le Gros), and his oldest friend Matt (Danny McCarthy).

What begins as a traditional escape into nature gradually becomes an isolating experience for Sam, with the idyllic trip slowly eroding into something that feels more like a confinement. India Donaldson creates this subtle shift, gradually stripping away Sam's comfort in small, deliberate ways. Matt's casual mention of his disappointment that his son didn't join the trip leaves Sam as the only young adult among two grown men, a fact reinforced when she's relegated to the floor of their cramped motel room. At the diner, the men casually order beers, another moment that pushes Sam further out of her comfort zone. These seemingly minor "offenses" accumulate, creating a mounting sense of unease for Sam until she reaches her breaking point. It's a masterfully engrossing progression, and Donaldson's steady hand, combined with Collias's quietly powerful performance, makes for immensely compelling drama. 

James Le Gros excels as a man consumed by insecurity, desperately grasping for any sense of superiority he can reclaim. He keeps Matt around to boost his ego, engaging in one-sided competitions that no one else is interested in. Le Gros embraces the character's flaws, leaning into Chris's need to constantly prove himself, even though it only highlights his vulnerability. On the other hand, Matt, once the fun-loving uncle figure who loved pushing Chris's buttons, now uses humor as a shield. Danny McCarthy precisely captures the character's decline, portraying a man whose life—marriage and career—has fallen apart. His antics no longer land, and his unpreparedness for the hike, arriving with junk food and jeans, indicates just how far he's fallen. McCarthy skillfully balances Matt's fading swagger with the underlying sadness of a man coming to terms with his failures.

The camera is often fixed on Lilly Collias's Sam, whose quiet reactions offer some of the film's most potent moments. Sam is a captivating listener, watching and observing the men around her with a mixture of understanding and detachment. As the youngest person on the trip, Sam is still figuring out her place in the world, yet acutely aware of how flawed and, at times, pathetic the men in her life can be. Her ability to communicate through reaction alone makes her a magnetic presence on screen.

India Donaldson's direction is unhurried and deliberate, allowing the discomfort of the characters' interactions to unfold naturally. She skillfully dismantles the notion that having a daughter automatically leads to greater self-awareness, instead revealing how the men remain stuck in their own egos. Good One is a quietly insightful film that gives its characters, especially Sam, the space to explore the messy complexities of their relationships. Donaldson's patient filmmaking pays off with a reveal that takes Sam to her breaking point. It's a moment that casts a shadow over the rest of the story and etches in stone Sam's growing disappointment in the adults around her.

— 3.5 / 5 ⭐