Good One

Good One is, among its infinite attributes, an ode to a style of filmmaking that appears to be humble, yet still manages to be devastating and humanistic to its very core. Mostly, it’s just a great f*cking movie, full stop.

Good One, a lesson in minimalist storytelling from first-time feature writer-director India Donaldson, is a movie that sneaks up on you.

Through it all, Collias is so confident and assured that it feels like this is her fiftieth leading role instead of her first.

Good One is beautifully observed, making its point without being too obvious, and perfectly judged in that it doesn’t waste a single shot. The beats of the film are simple and straightforward, but if you hone in on the details, every second is full of information.

Towards the end, that mood changes devastatingly. Another film might have needed a murder to send these chills but Donaldson is in such control of the tone, and her cast are on such exquisite form, that a single sentence has massive reverberations.

Collias impresses in a role that doesn’t grant her any great extremes of expression. Sam’s temperate demeanor may simply be her nature, but Collias’s tautly wired performance shows how it’s also a defense.

The film is compelling and quietly thought-provoking as it peels back the layers of the relationships at the forefront, while also showcasing the discomfort that follows but isn’t always picked up on.

Only two reasons I finished this movie: I kept hoping something would actually HAPPEN; I was on a four hour flight that was too dark to read my People magazine. JK, if I’d had the magazine I’d been much more satisfied. The actress was good but do we really need to see her change her tampon FOUR times??!!