Sometimes, the only way to appreciate life is to escape from reality for a short while. For some, this means venturing into the virtual world, whereas for others, it involves retreating into nature, which is the perfect way to recalibrate one’s soul to be more aware and present. It may sound slightly esoteric, and perhaps even outright bizarre, but the natural world tends to have healing properties, both physically and mentally, which anyone who has found value in the act of bracing the wilderness will undoubtedly be able to confirm. In Good One, her poignant directorial debut coming after a run of well-received short films that drew attention to her work, India Donaldson uses these themes to tell the story of Sam, who is caught at the awkward stage between adolescence and adulthood, and just before going off to college, she and her father decide to go on a camping trip, accompanied by her father’s best friend, who was also supposed to be joined by his son, but who unfortunately backed out at the last minute, turning their quartet into a trio. For a few days, the group ventures off into the stunning forests of the Catskill Mountains, where they intend to spend some time embracing nature and its unique properties, but eventually find themselves questioning their existence, particularly since it doesn’t take too long for the underlying tensions to emerge and for them to begin discussing issues far more serious than they initially intended. A simple film with an enormous soulfulness that feels far more complex than we’d expect based on a cursory glance, Good One is a wonderful debut for Donaldson, who immediately establishes herself as an exciting voice in contemporary independent cinema, weaving a meaningful account of a young woman’s journey between chapters of her life, rendered in the form of a profoundly moving, encapsulating coming-of-age drama that may take a more literal stance on her voyage of self-discovery, but is nonetheless very compelling where it is most needed.

While it doesn’t seem to be explicitly autobiographical, Donaldson certainly seems to spend much of the time in Good One reflecting on the journey between one’s formative years and those in which they are forced to take control of their life, which is a challenging period for anyone, especially those who feel like they lack the proper support and guidance to become functioning adults. The themes at the heart of this film are made clear very quickly – a young woman is convinced to go on a trip with her father, with whom she does not have the strongest relationship, and his loudmouth friend, both of whom see her as less of a companion and more of an obstacle to what is intended to be a more rowdy vacation. It’s from this very simple premise that the director can evoke certain themes, placing them throughout the film and allowing them to sprout slowly and methodically, until we finally start to get a general picture of what she intended to say. Good One is a film about identity in its various forms – the protagonist is someone who is navigating the earliest moments of adulthood, while also being proudly queer, meaning that she is immediately at odds with her more traditional father, who may not be bigoted, but still doesn’t entirely understand his daughter and the path she has chosen in life. Much of the film consists of the trio of central characters talking, with a lot of it being conversations around their lives, desires and ambitions, as well as the occasional bout of playful mockery, which may seem harmless at first, but has deeper roots within more challenging discourse. Donaldson uses these ideas to explore what life is like for a young person still trying to figure out their identity, which is a consistently daunting process, and nothing that is easy for anyone, and choosing to direct these discussions through the fraught relationship between the protagonist and her father allows for increased resonance.

Many ideas are swirling throughout Good One, which is a much simpler film than we would initially expect, but which seems entirely appropriate for the story being told. Made with echoes of some of the great modern realists, such as Kelly Reichardt and Debra Granik (both thematically and in terms of style), the film evokes a more quiet, reflective tone that is less about the destination and more about the journey we take to get there, which is a reductive and perhaps even cliched way of looking at the film, but also the most appropriate description. We’ve seen many independent filmmakers staking a claim in a steadily growing canon of observational films, which focus less on the broader concepts and more on accurate, honest depictions of day-to-day life, even if it means running the risk of being subtle to the point of becoming prosaic. Good One is a profoundly simple film that approaches everything from a place of authenticity – the style is decidedly more unfurnished than we’d expect, following a simple narrative that is intricately woven together by small, subtle cues. It’s a dialogue-driven film, and most of the story is told through the conversations conducted between characters. Yet, some of the most meaningful moments are those that take place in complete silence, showing the characters quietly hiking through these idyllic surroundings (and Donaldson certainly put a lot of effort into finding the right locations for this film – every scene is stunningly beautiful), quietly meditating on their quandaries and gradually coming to terms with whatever concepts are bothering them. It’s a simple approach, but one that is extremely effective and all the more captivating based on how much meaning there is lurking beneath the surface.

Good One essentially centres around only three characters, with a few that exist on the periphery but function as little more than motifs to push the narrative forward. Donaldson puts a lot of effort into the characterisation, working hard to make each one of them seem authentic, rather than crafting them as thinly written archetypes that exist just to convey a particular message. Much of the success comes in how these characters are personified, which is a credit to the tremendous cast, all of whom rise to the occasion. Lily Collias makes her acting debut as the protagonist Sam, who is doing her best to make sense of the confusing world that surrounds her, but finds herself constantly shattered by the weight of reality and how she exists in a seemingly different set of circumstances than her father and his friend, who are so at ease with their mediocrity that she begins to grow envious of their comfort at being so thoroughly unremarkable. James Le Gros is an actor who is always a welcome addition to any project, but who is rarely given much attention on his own, and he usually has to depend on independent filmmakers to give him substantial roles, of which this film is one of the most significant. He plays this imperfect father with incredible honesty, creating a complex portrait of a man trying his best to connect with his daughter, but finding that he struggles to let go of his juvenile tendencies, which causes him to become conflicted – on one hand, he has the responsibility of being a father to his daughter when she needs it the most, but also intends to recreate the folly of youth with his best friend, which stirs a sense of inner turmoil that leads to a lot of tension. Danny McCarthy rounds out the main cast, and while his character is arguably the least important of the three, he does have quite a few very impactful moments, particularly those in which he reflects on his past, showing that even this bland everyman has layers of complexity that make him far more interesting than we may have expected.

Simplicity is a virtue, and it has rarely been more obvious than when looking at independent cinema and how it can flourish into such meaningful, complex stories of the human condition. Donaldson is a wonderful filmmaker, and while this is her first major work, she is undoubtedly going to use this as a springboard to continue exploring the themes that interest her, using them as the foundation for quite an intriguing investigation into common ideas that are rendered beautifully vibrant and earnest under her exceptional direction. The unfurnished, direct approach has incredible artistic bandwidth, and is supported by some genuinely wonderful performances that feel so much richer and textured than they would have been in many other contexts. There isn’t much to this film on a narrative level – it delivers exactly what it promises, and it is arguably more effective if we approach it as a work driven by atmosphere more than a specific narrative, which is certainly one way in which this film succeeds, even if it may seem somewhat limited in theory. There’s something so beautiful about a film that is as in control of its themes as this one, and with a strong sense of direction, excellent characterisation and an abundance of heart, it is not difficult to see why Good One is considered such a promising debut, and a terrific work of contemporary independent cinema. It takes its time to get to its central meaning, but the journey is well worth the patience.