Leave No Trace Movie Review

Leave No Trace (2018)

Rent Leave No Trace on Amazon Video // Read the book
Written by: Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini (screenplay by), Peter Rock (based on the novel "My Abandonment" by)
Directed by: Debra Granik
Starring: Ben Foster, Thomasin McKenzie, Jeffery Rifflard
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer

Plot
A father and his thirteen year-old daughter are living an ideal existence in a vast urban park in Portland, Oregon, when a small mistake derails their lives forever.

Verdict
They live differently. It's an affront to modern society, but it isn't necessarily wrong in theory. What works for the father, doesn't for the daughter. They clash over how to live life, but I almost want this to be about more. It's a nice idea, but it doesn't go far enough.
It depends.

Review

This has a lot of similarities to Captain Fantastic (read my review). They both deal with alternative lifestyles where families are living off the grid. I don't like Leave No Trace as much. It feels hollow once we reach the end. The father couldn't cope in society and it was stunting his daughter's social growth. That is the movie in totality, and Captain Fantastic made the point better, delving a bit deeper. While there is more to it, small moments building to the point, that's what this is.

When this starts we don't know why they're in the woods. We know they shouldn't be there, though we soon learn the father is a war veteran. I like Ben Foster, he always chooses neat roles, and while he's good in this movie, there just isn't enough in this. His daughter played by Thomasin McKenzie also does a great job.

They're ousted from living in the woods and he can't stand normal society. He wants to go back to the wood, she doesn't and that's when the rift between them forms. I like the ending of this, the daughter having to make a choice. While I felt like the father was good, the way this ends makes it seem like maybe he wasn't the best choice to ensure she excels in life.