This Subtle Masterpiece With 98% on RT Is One of the Best Dramas of 2024
It's a slow-paced but actually nuanced movie.
One of the pleasant surprises of 2024 is India Donaldson's debut drama Good One, which swept Sundance and Cannes. This is a charming, seemingly serene dramedy and a film that recalls the quiet hits of Kelly Reichardt and Eliza Hittman.
What Is Good One About?
Sam is 17 years old – she graduated from high school and has already started college. Sam would like to spend the weekend with her friends, but the girl has already agreed to go hiking with her father, Chris. The girl's parents are divorced, and her father has a new family.
Although Chris is in his 60s, he recently became a father again, and his wife is 30 years younger. Chris and Sam were supposed to be accompanied by his father's best friend, Matt, and his son, Dylan. Dylan decided not to go at the last moment because he is still angry with his father. The guy's parents are also divorced.
Sam is initially attracted by the charm of nature and nice chatting around the campfire, but one unpleasant conversation spoils the whole impression of the hike.
Good One Is a Subtle and Meditative Movie
For a while, it may seem like a cheerful dramedy about the opportunity to forget about work and disappear into the woods and mountains, but Donaldson creates a much more subtle movie.
Sam, with all roads open to her and her whole life ahead of her, finds herself in the company of two tired men who have seen a lot. Dad and his buddy are constantly trying to dump their emotional baggage onto the shoulders of a girl who is wise beyond her years.
Good One Is a Fresh Take On Generational Differences
It may not always be easy for representatives of different generations to find a common language, but the author is interested in the sine wave of the trinity's relationship. Sam looks at Chris and Matt with suspicion, not understanding where the road will go next.
At first they evoke sympathy, but both are in crisis, so surprises are possible. The space usually reserved for dialogue is filled with the pauses and expressive reactions of the teenager. The viewer, along with Sam, carefully observes the other passengers.
Towards the End, the Director Turns Out Attitude Towards the Characters Upside Down
Donaldson makes a heartfelt and thoughtful movie about growing up and making irreversible mistakes. A twist near the end completely changes the perception of the movie and the characters. Matt fades into the background, Sam loses trust in her father and feels that a wall has formed between them.
It is not very clear whether the relatives will continue to communicate. The hike definitely changed the relationship between father and daughter. Sam did not receive support from Chris at the right time, and this betrayal is more terrible than the awful words Matt spoke that night by the fire.