GOOD ONE
(director/writer: India Donaldson; cinematographer: Wilson Cameron; editor: Graham Mason; music: Celia Hollander; cast: Valentine Black (Val), Sumaya Bouhbal (Jessie), James Le Gros (Chris), Lily Collias (Sam), Diane Irving (Casey), Danny McCarthy (Matt), Sam Lanier (Zach), Eric Yates (Andy), Julian Grady (Dylan), Peter McNally (Jake); Runtime: 90; MPAA Rating: R; producers: India Donaldson, Diane Irving, Graham Mason; Smudge Films; 2024)
“Leaves the viewer with much to ponder.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
An impressive indie feature directing debut by India Donaldson on how a well-intentioned father-daughter 3-day weekend camping trip in the beautiful upstate NY Catskill Mountains sours. The seventeen-year-old Sam (Lily Collias), the story’s ‘good one’ (smart, reliable and well-behaved), is her contractor, 50something-year-old awkward control-freak dad Chris’ (James Le Gros) child from his first wife. Also on the trip is dad’s best friend, a self-pitying former actor now a salesman, Matt (Danny McCarthy), gone slovenly over the years. He intended bringing along his teenage son (Julian Grady), but the divorced dad argues with his rude kid and he’s a no show. Matt thereby becomes the out-of-place third party on his friend’s meaningful father-daughter trip.
The agreeable Sam tries to accept both older men, with their fragile egos, who unload their middle-age baggage on her by asking her to respond to their complaints. When critical of them they both voice opposition, when she backs them they’re content.
Both men are flawed and can find nothing to ask about her situation (she’s in a lesbian relationship with Jessie-Sumaya Bouhbal) until the next night as they sit around a campfire and are joined by 3 hiking college students (Sam Lanier, Eric Yates and Peter McNally) who camp near them.
A subtle friction builds in this low-key story, as Sam silently resents their toxic masculinity without letting on.
An unease builds in this thought-provoking coming-of-age story, whereby a father seems afraid to hear the truth from a daughter he respects, and his slacker friend turns out to be closer to dad in spirit than his daughter. Sam’s already distanced herself from her divorced father’s new girlfriend and baby, and is looking forward to attending college away from home.
It’s a compelling slow-burn film on family gender dynamics that leaves the viewer with much to ponder about father and daughter relationships.
It played at the Sundance Film Festival.
REVIEWED ON 7/3/2024 GRADE: B+