LEAVE NO TRACE
Director: Debra Granik
imdb
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LEAVE NO TRACE
Director: Debra Granik
imdb
Unsure if I should give this one a try or not...
What makes you uncertain?
I wouldn't call this a snoozefest personally.
It's well-realized and distinctly believable, but it's also frustrating from a pure drama standpoint. Emotionally, the beginning and end are the most powerful sections. I thought it lost all narrative momentum when they left the first house. The back half of the film is sometimes infuriatingly languid until the inevitable, yet powerful, finish. Ultimately, the convincing performances and realistic details make it worthwhile, but the film does fall within the class of indie that is content to put the onus on the viewer to engage with its sparse storytelling.
I thought this was just beautiful.
I don't disagree that it feels like it largely loses purpose or momentum once that first chosen exit occurs, but I feel that's largely intentional to have the film allow your own frustration and desired growth for the events begin to mirror the necessary understanding of Tom's agency and evolution as a person and a protagonist as her feelings and choices come into clear focus.
I also just really appreciate a film that can mine strong emotions, tangible conflict and compelling drama from plot and characters who never really do anything mean, argue, go out of their way to undermine anyone or anything for the purpose of self-gain, and that almost every character in the film is genuinely trying to do their best and help each other. That even lends to how you can read the influence of Will's service that led to his current state. He did what he felt was the ultimate "right" thing, to protect, serve and support his family, and now he suffers for it seemingly every day, but he doesn't want to inflict that on anyone. He knows how his disorder shapes him, and how society will only find a way to do negatively inflict on him further. It's a portrait of both this character and so many other things at large done so elegantly and intelligently, that it's admirable it feels so vital and sharp despite how subdued it is.
Winter's Bone was one of those films that did very little for me despite its stirring performances and the general craftsmanship (craftswomanship?) that gave me the sense it was clearly made by an immensely talented fimmmaker, but Leave No Trace worked for me from the get-go and never let me go, up until its simple tranquil visual of its credits. I understand your hesitation of not wanting to see the "type" of movie that you imagine it is, but the actual film helps you let go of and even unlearn the training of how a story like this is hypothetically/arbitrarily supposed to go cinematically. It's a really rich film.
I'm with Henry in finding it quietly wonderful, though I understand David's qualms. For me, it is about naturalistic details that Granik communicates. The way the huge tree bifurcates between Tom and the social services woman before they're brought in. The huge forest print inside the social services building that suggests a comfort in daydreaming about living in nature even as society punishes those who actualize that dream. Tom's slow entrance into trusting humans and animals, the gradual way in which that cleaves her from her father, Will. Her realization that she could end up utterly alone in the cabin.
I wish the film hadn't ended with the [], but appreciated both the vastness of Will walking deeper into the forest preserves, and the echo of Tom leaving the bag.
Loved the dynamic between the actors and all the emotional beats, especially at the end, but the plot is contrived as hell.
So I'm split and went "nay."
I'm glad I gave this a shot as a fan of Winter's Bone.
For me, it works really well until they leave the bus. Afterwards, I just don't know if I can believe the father's choices, or at least the movie doesn't convince me. I think it's well played by Ben Foster, who's usually pretty over the top, but constrained here. He plays both well.
Of course, it's Thomasin McKenzie that makes the movie work as a whole.
There's probably a more interesting story in the father/daughter taking their first steps into living in the forests rather than the aftermath of it, but so be it.
This was... Ok, I guess, but I went with Nay. Foster and the girl are both very good but the story itself is not very convincing - like Captain Fantastic without irony. One thing that occurred to me as it was ending was that there was no real reason for such a dramatic farewell with the string music and tears - the father can just go live a few miles from the house.