When you think about it, there are some things in life you would not know about if it weren’t for certain movies.
I’m not talking about historical/biographical films, but more about films that get into the daily lives of people you never knew about.
One of the first movies I remember doing this to me was 2010’s Winter’s Bone (which also familiarized cinema fans to Jennifer Lawrence), directed by Debra Granik. Others that followed include 2012’s Beasts of the Southern Wild and 2020’s Best Picture winner Nomadland. Yet for me, the one that jolted the most was Granik’s follow up to Winter’s Bone in 2018, Leave No Trace.
We soon get a sense as to why the characters live the way they do in this film Will (Ben Foster) is a former vet who just wants to live in a secluded peace alongside his daughter Tom (Thomasin Mckenzie in her break out role). It is not that they are entirely introverted: they just want to be left alone. Yet Will cannot prepare for all parents secretly fear: their children growing up.
Like any great movie, Leave No Trace is a film that demands the viewers attention throughout its runtime. Yes, it is a film filled with occasions of little dialogue, but since when was cinema only about dialogue? Both the father and daughter are still active in their life style, and every frame is notably riveting. You don’t need to know much about the ambience of this film to sense the authenticity.
I close in saying that the film holds a distinction in the history of RottenTomatoes. The RT meter has been very debatable for as long as I can remember, especially when you realize that certain films don’t reach the rare 100% rating.
That said, Leave no Trace not only retains that rating, but it occupies the record with the most reviews of any film with that rating.
“Click, Click”
(As of this writing, Leave No Trace is available to stream on Hoopla and Kanopy.)
Nothing else to say 