ReelBob: ‘Leave No Trace’ ★★★★
By Bob Bloom
Will and his daughter, Tom, live off the grid — way off it.
The pair created a self-sufficient home in the forest of a national park outside of Portland.
They sleep in a tent, drink captured rainwater, pick and cook mushrooms for sustenance and keep to themselves.
Will (Ben Foster) is an Army veteran who has mostly turned his back on society. The teenage Tom (Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie) adores her father and is content with their lifestyle.
Their lives and the challenges they face are chronicled in “Leave No Trace,” a quietly emotional movie that will softly touch your heart.
The film is more character driven than reliant on a plot to move it forward.
The movie, directed and co-written by Debra Granik, speaks volumes about family ties — in assured but hushed tones.
The nice touch is that Granik and co-screenwriter Anne Rosellini, working from a novel by Peter Rock, leave much unspoken, allowing the viewer to infer much about the strong relationship between Will and Tom.
In its understated way, the movie portrays Will as a man somehow damaged by war. It’s obvious he suffers from PTSD, but — unlike other films — we never really learn what happened to him while he was deployed, which makes Will a more vulnerable and sympathetic protagonist.
Foster instills Will with a quiet intensity and an inner pain that — though he is mostly passive — at times, makes you want to take a step back, fearful that he might explode.
His Will always seems a bit off-kilter and uncomfortable, not only around other people, but in his own skin.
McKenzie’s role is a bit more complex. Her Tom is at that stage where a teenager begins to question parental decisions and authority. True, she starts out blindly following her father, but, as the film progresses, she more frequently finds her own voice.
McKenzie gives a confident and moving performance. She matures gradually before our eyes.
Will and Tom’s world is turned upside down when they are caught by authorities and placed in the social service system.
Will, though treated kindly and fairly, continues to chafe because he resents following others’ rules. Tom is more adaptable, reminding her father of what he often told her — your thoughts always are your own.
The tone of “Leave No Trace” is fragile and almost poetic. It rolls along with very little conflict, relying on the performances and chemistry between Foster and McKenzie to carry it — which they do admirably.
It’s an insightful movie you can savor and embrace.
I am a member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.
LEAVE NO TRACE
4 stars out of 4
(PG), for thematic elements