17-year-old Sam (Lily Collias) is preparing to leave for a camping trip with her divorced father Chris (Lames Le Gros), and his best friend Matt (Danny McCarthy), whose son has elected to stay at home, making Sam the sole youngster. As they hike into the woods, the seemingly genial Chris is revealed to be controlling and inattentive, whilst Matt betrays a deep sadness behind his gregarious demeanour, leaving the increasingly exasperated Sam to bear witness to their moody behaviour. With deceptive simplicity, first time director India Donaldson parses the complexities of the relationships between father and daughter, and their travelling companion, portraying the subtle shifts in mood and allegiances with great delicacy, empathy, and economy. Reminiscent of Kelly Reichardt, Good One is a beautifully calibrated miniature that carries its weighty themes lightly.

Notes by David O’Mahony.