Good One

SEPTEMBER 13-18

“Good one” is a familiar phrase, a sarcastic rejoinder to someone else’s sarcastic insult; it’s just weaponized humor pushing back against weaponized humor, a back-and-forth familiar to a lot of parent-child relationships. In writer-director India Donaldson’s incisive, low-key, well-observed drama, that kind of relationship keeps teenage Sam (Lily Collias) and stoic, barely-present father Chris (James Le Gros) from really understanding each other. A camping trip in the Catskills offers an opportunity for father-daughter bonding, but it’s complicated by the presence of Matt (Danny McCarthy), a friend of Chris whose easygoing, carefree nature makes Chris even more uptight and controlling. Sam, whose homosexuality is casually ignored, feels shut out by the two men’s Bro-Magnon gamesmanship and mutual griping over their failed marriages. The three central performances are outstanding. Collias is especially good, creating one of the most authentic 17-year-olds we’ll see in contemporary film. Sam’s no caricature or snarky comedienne; her vulnerability (which she tries to hide) is very affecting and immediately relatable. And the film uses the isolated yet expansive space of its wilderness setting to great advantage, with the naturally gorgeous scenery (shot by cinematographer Wilson Cameron) highlighting the unnatural way in which people often communicate (or fail to communicate) with one another. Sam is immensely sympathetic but the movie doesn’t make Chris or Matt two-dimensional jerks; in fact it’s the complexity of their motivations, personalities, and (lost) dreams that helps set up the quietly devastating impact of the movie’s climax, unforgettably capping an indelible portrait of broken relationships and missed connection.

(Rated R for profanity.)

General | $12
Senior/Student | $10
Member | $8
Doors open 30 min before the film. Buy tickets at the box office or ahead of time online!