Good One hinges on a single unambiguous question, but writer/director India Donaldson’s debut is primarily about what’s unsaid—and, sometimes, about the pain, grief, and regret that’s articulated awkwardly, in bits and pieces, amidst everyday chitchat.
A contemplative indie about a hiking trip that’s marked by middle-age malaise, teen unease, and uncomfortable intergenerational dynamics, this Sundance Film Festival standout, in theaters, August 9, proves a quietly explosive tale of disconnection and betrayal, its placid exterior masking a wellspring of combustible tensions that are both impossible to ignore and difficult to resolve.
In a New York City brownstone, queer teenager Sam (Lily Collias) gets ready for a camping trip with her father Chris (James Le Gros), his struggling-actor buddy Matt (Danny McCarthy), and Matt’s son Dylan (Julian Grady). Sam’s girlfriend Jessie (Sumaya Bouhbal) laughs at Sam’s preparations for this expedition but the girl—who’s on the cusp of leaving for college—appears mildly excited about it.
