Sundance review: 'Good One' is a father-daughter drama that shows lots of talent but not enough plot

The father-daughter drama “Good One” benefits so much from its strong cast and gorgeous cinematography that one wishes the plot had more meat on it.

Sam (played by Lily Collias) is a 17-year-old girl packing for a weekend hiking trip with her dad (James LeGros). The plan is to hike three days in the Catskills, with Dad’s old friend Matt (Danny McCarthy) and Matt’s son Dylan. At the last minute, though, Dylan cancels, leaving Sam alone to deal with the bruised egos of two divorced dads.

The early scenes set the differences between the two men. Dad is much more serious about hiking than Matt, and chastises him for the extraneous items in his backpack and for eating in his tent — which, as Dad notes, is practically inviting bears to enter their camp. “You can be as reckless as you want with your kid, but not when it’s my daughter,” Dad tells Matt.

Generally, though, the trip is pretty laid back, as writer-director India Donaldson zeroes in on the small details of these three people on their hike and the beautiful scenery of the Catskills where it’s filmed.

It turns out to be a small detail — almost a throwaway line of dialogue, really — that turns this low-stress hiking trip into something more sinister, and forces Sam to reconsider what she knows about Matt and what she thinks about her dad. There’s a later scene between Sam and Dad where the dialogue is pivotal, which puts the onus on Sam to decide what to do next.

LeGros and McCarthy give solid performances, but Collias is the breakout star here. In only her second movie (she had a supporting role in the disturbing 2022 Sundance drama “Palm Trees and Power Lines”), Collias subtly captures Sam’s shifting attitudes and her determination to take action when the men disappoint her. Collias must carry a lot on her shoulders, considering the shallowness of the plot, but her eyes and manner are captivating.

——

‘Good One’

★★★

Screening in the U.S. Dramatic competition at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Not rated, but probably R for language. Running time: 90 minutes.

Screens again: Monday, January 22, 11:30 a.m., Redstone Cinemas 2, Park City; Wednesday, January 24, Broadway Centre Cinemas 3, Salt Lake City; Friday, January 26, 12:30 p.m., Egyptian Theatre, Park City.Also available online via the Sundance portal, Thursday-Sunday, January 25-28. Also available online via the Sundance portal, Thursday-Sunday, January 25-28.