Good One (2024) Dir India Donaldson
Courtesy of Metrograph Pictures
Written by Rae Quinn
For her debut feature-length film, writer-director India Donaldson presents a quiet drama that, for at least half of her audience, is all-too-relatable and borders on subtle thriller. Two divorced dads, Chris (James Le Gros) and Matt (Danny McCarthy), and their daughter and son, respectively, plan a three-day camping trip in the Catskills. The balance — in number and dynamic — is immediately thrown off when Matt and his son Dylan have an argument and Dylan abandons the plan. The group is now a trio: 17-year-old Sam (Lily Collias), her middle-aged father, and his now emotionally distraught middle-aged friend.
Courtesy of Metrograph Pictures
Courtesy of Metrograph Pictures
The title, Good One, aptly refers to the prescribed label for a girl or woman who doesn’t object and puts others before herself. When interpreted another way, however — as the unimaginative response that frequently follows an off-color joke — it perfectly captures the overall tone of the film. As Donaldson notes, “The suggestion that it’s all in fun can become a shield of protection against any responsibility for your words.” As they hike deeper into the wilderness, the disconnect in perspective between Sam and the two men builds into a sense of isolation. The only other people they encounter during their trip is a group of young men who set up camp a little too close for comfort. Sam becomes uneasy as they pitch their tents and designate their shitting spots. “Are they staying here?” she asks her dad, to which he dismissively replies, “It’s fine.” Donaldson so realistically portrays the subtle violations of boundaries and mood shifts of which women are hyper aware as well as the responsibilities we take on in the company of men. The story depicts the colossal emotional weight carried by a teenage girl during the course of one long weekend, and confronts the limits of her forgiveness. Sam’s limit comes slightly after the emotional high-point of the story. She looks around while they take a break at a swimming hole and sees her father and Matt sunbathing, completely carefree, amongst the phallic rock piles constructed by fellow hikers. She makes a decision right then that initiates her character’s transformation.
With Good One, Donaldson follows in the tradition of playwrights utilizing the unique tension that builds within a trio. In the film, the friendship dynamic between Chris and Matt allows Sam to observe her father in a new light, ultimately challenging his caretaker role in her life. The topic of starting college comes up a few times, so this element of the story is less sad than it is empowering; signifying her transition into adulthood. The back-and-forth between the two men is often comical and at times uncomfortable. This erratic banter — and Sam’s ceaseless observation of it — coupled with the steady rhythm of the characters walking along the trail, creates a refreshingly slow-paced and captivating film.
Courtesy of Metrograph Pictures
The conclusion of the film is as subtle as everything that precedes it. Donaldson presents emotional realism that transforms fleetingly into horror and back again, revealing the underlying thriller quality of life experienced by women, so often brought on by the emotional fragility of men. In making the film, she hoped to instigate conversation. “For me, it was always the most important thing that audiences have that space at the end of the film to bring their own personal experiences to it. It’s been the most exciting thing for me to see that happening. People have different takes on it, but I think what’s universal is that you feel there’s been a major change.”
Donaldson’s film is packed with emerging and established talent. It is Cinematographer Wilson Cameron’s first feature-length film, although he has previously collaborated with Donaldson on her short films, Hannahs and Medusa. Good One is also Lily Collias’s first major role in a feature-length film — and she executes it perfectly. Danny MacCarthy has acted in several notable movies and TV series, including Somebody Somewhere and Boardwalk Empire. James Le Gros is a prolific actor whose breakout performance reaches back to Drugstore Cowboy in 1989. Good One premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
