A teenage girl’s camping adventure reveals the complexities of adult life.

  • The film ‘Good One’ is writer-director India Donaldson’s feature debut.
  • It follows a 17-year-old girl, her father, and his friend on a camping trip in the Catskills.
  • The film explores the shifting dynamics and individual troubles of the trio.
  • Lily Collias delivers a strong performance as the sarcastic teenager Sam.
  • James Le Gros plays her father, Chris, showcasing a credible father-daughter rapport.
  • The film features themes of midlife struggles and personal failures.
  • Cinematographer Wilson Cameron captures the beauty of the Catskills.
  • The narrative takes a predictable turn, highlighting uncomfortable tensions.
  • Despite its flaws, ‘Good One’ is a sensitively performed drama.

In ‘Good One’, writer-director India Donaldson makes her feature debut with a poignant story about a 17-year-old girl named Sam, who embarks on a camping trip in the Catskills with her father, Chris, and his longtime friend, Matt. The film delves into the evolving dynamics among the trio as they navigate their individual challenges during this retreat into nature. Lily Collias shines as Sam, bringing a sarcastic yet relatable energy to her role, while James Le Gros portrays Chris, her slightly gruff father, with authenticity. The film opens with the duo preparing for their trip in their New York home, but things take a turn when they pick up Matt and his son, Dylan, only to find the two in a heated argument. This leads to an unexpected shift, leaving Sam alone with two middle-aged men for the weekend. Matt, played by Danny McCarthy, adds humor to the mix, sharing his own life struggles, including a recent divorce and a strained relationship with his son. The film captures the essence of their friendship with light-hearted moments, such as their attempts to remember the days of the week in Spanish over drinks. As they hike through the woods, the trio’s interactions reveal their personal stresses, including Chris’s challenges as a contractor and father. A memorable scene around the campfire showcases their life stories, blurring the lines between spooky tales and real-life fears. While the film’s naturalistic approach and the stunning cinematography by Wilson Cameron highlight the beauty of the Catskills, it eventually veers into predictable territory, exposing the underlying tensions of their unique situation. Despite this, ‘Good One’ stands out as a well-acted and thoughtful exploration of relationships and personal growth in the wilderness.

Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides an accurate and objective summary of the film’s plot, characters, and performances, as well as a comparison to other works by Kelly Reichardt. It also mentions the director’s background and cinematography. However, it contains some minor subjective opinions such as calling the ending ‘predictable’ and ‘obvious’, which may not be universally agreed upon.
Noise Level: 3
Noise Justification: The article provides a brief overview of the plot and characters in a new film titled ‘Good One’. It mentions the performances of the actors and compares it to other films. However, it lacks in-depth analysis or critical evaluation of the movie’s themes or techniques.
Key People: India Donaldson (Writer-director), Lily Collias (Actress), James Le Gros (Actor), Danny McCarthy (Actor), Roger Donaldson (Director), Wilson Cameron (Cinematographer), Mr. Barnes (Assistant Arts in Review Editor)

Financial Relevance: No
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses a film titled ‘Good One’ and its debut writer-director India Donaldson, as well as the performances of its actors. It does not pertain to financial topics nor does it mention any events that impact financial markets or companies.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: Other
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: Minor
Extreme Rating Justification: There is no extreme event mentioned in the article. The story revolves around a backpacking trip of a 17-year-old girl, her father and his friend, with some tension building up between them. The movie takes a predictable turn but is still considered a minor yet well-made study of their shifting dynamics.
Move Size: No market move size mentioned.
Sector: All
Direction: Up
Magnitude: Small
Affected Instruments: Stocks

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