But what happened?
The Good One is fascinating in its disinterest in explanation. The film’s refusal to “satisfy” the audience with easy explanations or even cathartic moments draws you into its atmosphere and into the strange dynamics that grow more claustrophobic by the moment. Sam has her period and keeps leaving the path to insert a tampon, while Chris and Sam wait in the background, completely oblivious to their added strain. She has this whole world going on that they have no idea about. The period is a fascinating detail (all the details in this beautiful film are fascinating, including its evocative title), highlighting biological difference but also their isolation. The only women in the film are back home. Sam is on her own.
I took a friend to the press screening and we went home and talked about it the whole time. There was so much to talk about and I can’t help but think it’s because what it all “means” remains unspoken. Donaldson doesn’t take the easy route.
Most of the film takes place outdoors. Cinematographer Wilson Cameron (who also shot two of Donaldon’s short films) captures the lush greenery, the way bodies move within it, the view. In some of the more intimate scenes, he uses very interesting framing, with a head popping up in the foreground and another head peeking out from behind the blockage. The characters are squeezed into the frame but get in each other’s way. The sound design is exquisite: the lively sounds of rushing water, bugs and birds replace dialogue. There are long sequences where we watch the characters hike, camp and break down their camp. The rhythm is soothing, but underneath it, things congeal and break.
Most of the film takes place in Collias’ face. She is an astonishing young actress, in whom every hint of thought, unease, humor and shock is visible. Her face guides us. The subterranean shift is Sam’s thing, a tectonic plate moving deep beneath the surface of her life, leaving an indelible mark on her. When Sam leaves the forest, she is no longer the same girl she was before. Everything has changed.
