LakshmiIn her directorial debut with a premiere at this year’s Sundance, India Donaldson explores the intricate details of a relationship between a father-daughter duo as they embark on a hike that goes subtly awry. Donaldson’s ‘Good One’ is a wonderfully confident and nuanced debut that develops with the divisionism of a masterful short story. It is a coming-of-age tale that eschews the conventions of the genre in lieu of a leisurely stroll through the woods.
Having been shot in the Catskill Mountain, the untouched beauty of this Appalachian subrange is the ultimate prowess in embodying the atmosphere of the story. With streams, canals and incessant wilderness, the characters’ personality parallels the calm yet prospectively turbulent nature. Seemingly, channelling her father’s take in directing, India portrays the complexities of a strange relationship between a father, his daughter, and his long-time best friend. Sam, the daughter, is reserved and quiet by nature. The father is rude and disturbed. His best friend is jovial and talkative.
So, when a four-person camping trip in upstate New York turns into a three-person hike, divorcé Chris (James Le Gros) is forced to face reality as he spends time with his vigilant best friend, Matt (Danny McCarthy) and his 17-year-old queer daughter, Sam (Lily Collias). The only reason Sam joins her father, Chris, is because she believes in being the peacemaker of the family, the little peace that is left anyway. She aims to get her father to know her, as he has been too busy dealing with other stuff to make time for the kids. It will be a grueling completed process by the time Sam and the two adult chaperones return to their car.
This is not the kind of movie that is like a psycho-thriller, although the atmosphere is chilly and the characters do portray several complex emotions. It simply explores human nature in a very nature-friendly setting. So, if you are expecting an edge-of-the-seat thriller or horror, this is not for you. It’s blunt yet beautiful in its own way. The lead actress, Lily Collias, is promising in her role, making this movie relatable to many people around her age.
Give this one a go, it’s a good one!
Lakshmi
