Good One

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2:22

Good One

R

Released Aug 9, 2024

1h 30m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

111 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

In India Donaldson's insightful, piercing debut, 17-year-old Sam (Lily Collias) embarks on a three-day backpacking trip in the Catskills with her dad, Chris (James Le Gros) and his oldest friend, Matt (Danny McCarthy). As the two men quickly settle into a gently quarrelsome brotherly dynamic, airing long-held grievances, Sam, wise beyond her years, attempts to mediate. But when lines are crossed and Sam's trust is betrayed, tensions reach a fever pitch, as Sam struggles with her dad's emotional limitations and experiences the universal moment when the parental bond is tested. Selected in both Sundance and Cannes' Directors' Fortnight, Good One is an emotionally expansive work that probes the limits of familial trust, understanding, and ultimately, forgiveness.

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Critics Consensus

A beautifully acted depiction of being caught between a rock and a hard place, Good One confronts difficult emotions and yields a striking feature debut for writer-director India Donaldson.

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

What unfolds is both intensely compelling and almost impossible to describe.

Rated: 4/5

May 15, 2025

Full Review

Danny Leigh

Financial Times

But the familiar path to all-is-forgiven group hugs is the stuff of that less interesting film. This one has teeth.

Rated: 5/5

May 15, 2025

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

India Donaldson’s Good One is a sneaky revelation, a low-key coming-of-age drama that deftly sidesteps familiar tropes in favour of keen cringe comedy and emotional precision.

Rated: 4/5

May 15, 2025

Full Review

Graham Fuller

The Arts Desk

Good One is a film of surpassing subtlety, not least in terms of the three actors’ body language; the note-perfect Collias is a major discovery.

Rated: 5/5

May 16, 2025

Full Review

Rich Cline

Shadows on the Wall

The narrative is cleverly constructed to open as a warm comedy and gradually shift into something that is subtly intense. And where it goes is both involving and gently provocative.

Rated: 4.5/5

May 15, 2025

Full Review

Alistair Harkness

Scotsman

Here, the film’s ability to observe the emotional complexities of friendship and family against the splendour of the great outdoors recalls Kelly Reichardt’s Old Joy..., yet it also marks Donaldson out as filmmaker to watch in her own right.

Rated: 4/5

May 13, 2025

Full Review

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Babsallday U

I dont know why this is a movie no real point taken! Hollywood bites these days. Im serious. This movie was a walk in the park although wonderful, absolutely not mind bending.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/03/24

Full Review

Brenda

It was very slow. And did not have an ending. I felt like I wasted time on this one.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/01/24

Full Review

David

it really good in it's own sense. hard to describe

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/30/24

Full Review

Ronald B

Well written dialogue, authentic relationships, beautiful nature photography.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/27/24

Full Review

Robert

Great story about the relationship between fathers and daughters. Very realistic situations, and the acting was top notch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/23/24

Full Review

Steve R

Excellent acting, because it doesn't appear to be acting. Complemented by the cinematography and direction, quietly great. The plot twists believability, though, to force a message. I get the immaturity of the men, which is all too typical, but the young woman hasn't lived long enough to be "wise", though she IS old enough to know her father's friend's drunken, mildly inappropriate comment could be ignored rather than blown out of proportion.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/17/25

Full Review

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India Donaldson

Director

Lily Collias

Sam

James Le Gros

Chris

Danny McCarthy

Matt

Sumaya Bouhbal

Jessie

India Donaldson

Screenwriter

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Good One: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In India Donaldson's insightful, piercing debut, 17-year-old Sam (Lily Collias) embarks on a three-day backpacking trip in the Catskills with her dad, Chris (James Le Gros) and his oldest friend, Matt (Danny McCarthy). As the two men quickly settle into a gently quarrelsome brotherly dynamic, airing long-held grievances, Sam, wise beyond her years, attempts to mediate. But when lines are crossed and Sam's trust is betrayed, tensions reach a fever pitch, as Sam struggles with her dad's emotional limitations and experiences the universal moment when the parental bond is tested. Selected in both Sundance and Cannes' Directors' Fortnight, Good One is an emotionally expansive work that probes the limits of familial trust, understanding, and ultimately, forgiveness.

Director: India Donaldson
Producer: Diana Irvine, Graham Mason, Wilson Cameron, India Donaldson
Screenwriter: India Donaldson
Distributor: Metrograph Pictures
Production Co: Smudge Films, International Pigeon Production, Baird Street Pictures, Tinygiant
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 9, 2024, Limited
Runtime: 1h 30m

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