Dramatic subtlety makes Good One's coming-of-age a great one
India Donaldson skillfully makes her insightful, clever hike through the woods look like a walk in the park.
Photo: Metrograph
Good One is a movie that should be seen in a theater. Not because of its grand scale; it’s actually very modest in that way. The reason writer/director India Donaldson’s debut feature needs to be absorbed in the most immersive environment possible is that it hinges on a small but seismic moment—one that could easily be missed were one, say, to put this film on in the background while scrolling through one’s phone. That moment colors everything that happens afterwards, irrevocably changing the way our teenage protagonist looks at her father and the world. But you have to notice it to feel that. Otherwise, it’s just a walk in the woods.
Good One tackles its uncomfortable coming-of-age theme with an approach comparable to Kitty Green’s underappreciated 2019 film The Assistant, in which the threat of sexual harassment was always present, but rarely addressed. Here, Donaldson similarly dramatizes a young woman understanding the stark reality of the world of men and her place in it for the first time. It’s a revelation that can be dramatic, or can happen quietly enough that its full impact isn’t felt until afterwards. This film explores the latter.