"Donaldson crafts the most profound debut of the year so far all within a neatly polished runtime, something that has been hard to come by as of late." - Yasmine Kandil, Little White Lies
"The kind of movie that tightens its complete lack of tension into a knot in the pit of your stomach." - David Ehrlich, Indiewire
"A confident work of subtlety and truth." - Drew Gregory, Autostraddle
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. GOOD ONE introduces audiences to the deft and confident voice of Donaldson, premiered to rave reviews at Sundance, was nominated for the Golden Camera award at Cannes, and won the Grand Jury Prize at the Boston Independent Film Festival. Film Center exclusive.
Awards & Nominations
Winner - Grand Jury Prize, Boston Independent Film Festival
Official Selection - Sundance Film Festival
Nominee - Golden Camera, Cannes Film Festival
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu