Good One

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Good One

R

2024

1h 30m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

123 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

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. Selected in both Sundance and Cannes' Directors' Fortnight, Good One is an emotionally expansive work that probes the limits of familial trust, understanding, and ultimately, forgiveness.

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Critics Consensus

A beautifully acted depiction of being caught between a rock and a hard place, Good One confronts difficult emotions and yields a striking feature debut for writer-director India Donaldson.

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Tom Charity

Sight & Sound

Nov 4, 2025

Good One is a backwoods horror film after all – even if there’s no physical violence. It’s a horror film in which nothing much happens, but for Sam the world is turned upside down.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Oct 8, 2025

Donaldson, who, as the daughter of director Roger Donaldson (Cocktail, Dante’s Peak) grew up around the film industry, is no mere imitator. This is a supremely accomplished and confident work. Her framing is immaculate.

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Adam Nayman

Toronto Star

Jun 17, 2025

Good One isn’t quite skilful or original enough to transcend its schematic structure. But it’s still a very fine piece of work, starting with its lovely, richly textured cinematography (by Wilson Cameron) through its precisely modulated ensemble acting.

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Anthony Carew

The Saturday Paper

Jul 23, 2026

A distinctive spin on the coming-of-age narrative in which a young person refuses to keep playing the role she’s been assigned.

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David Bax

Battleship Pretension

Jan 7, 2026

An early clue that Good One is more than a light, humanistic dramedy comes in the form of Celia Hollander’s sad, harp-driven score.

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Pedro Gallego

Espinof

Dec 15, 2025

4/5

Its coming-of-age story is careful, yet also appropriately sharp. [Full review in Spanish]

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Babsallday U

Sep 3, 2024

I dont know why this is a movie no real point taken! Hollywood bites these days. Im serious. This movie was a walk in the park although wonderful, absolutely not mind bending.

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Brenda

Sep 1, 2024

It was very slow. And did not have an ending. I felt like I wasted time on this one.

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David

Aug 30, 2024

it really good in it's own sense. hard to describe

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Ronald B

Aug 27, 2024

Well written dialogue, authentic relationships, beautiful nature photography.

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Robert

Aug 21, 2024

Great story about the relationship between fathers and daughters. Very realistic situations, and the acting was top notch.

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Jason S

@JasonS20 Sep 12, 2026

How on earth this movie has a 98% positive rotten tomatoes rating is beyond me, it’s got to be one of the most boring pointless films I have ever seen! The acting is sort of ok but you’re left wondering if something good is going to happen but it doesn’t at all, how I even watched it to the end I don’t know, my partner fell asleep after 5 minutes and I don’t blame her to be honest. This is definitely one to avoid otherwise your only be disappointed big time!

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India Donaldson

Director

Lily Collias

Sam

James Le Gros

Chris

Danny McCarthy

Matt

Sumaya Bouhbal

Jessie

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Synopsis

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. Selected in both Sundance and Cannes' Directors' Fortnight, Good One is an emotionally expansive work that probes the limits of familial trust, understanding, and ultimately, forgiveness.

Director: India Donaldson
Producer: Diana Irvine, Graham Mason, Wilson Cameron, India Donaldson
Screenwriter: India Donaldson
Distributor: Metrograph Pictures
Production Co: Smudge Films, International Pigeon Production, Baird Street Pictures, Tinygiant
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 9, 2024, Limited
Runtime: 1h 30m

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