Review of Leave No Trace (2018) by John S — 14 Jul 2018

Not as much to say about this one. The film is incredibly simple and patient. It is merely about a father and his young daughter. The father is significantly troubled, traumatized by a condition that worsens when caged by the societal impositions and restrictions of the civilized modern world; he thus abandons this world in an ongoing, restless search for a life of isolation.

His daughter, in contrast, accompanies her father in fear of isolation from him, a fear that extends also to society itself upon inevitable encounters with people during their journey. She desires a stationary, stable co-existence, whereas her father will not stop until his quest is fulfilled.

This psychological dichotomy is the framework for the film and ultimately drives the relationship of these two people. Every element of the film is presented with utter calmness and subtlety; the forest photography is both beautiful and intimidating, painting a portrait of a vast maze of seemingly inhospitable wonder.

Even the film's people are presented with such raw, palpable honesty and transparency that connections can actually develop unbeknownst to one's own awareness until they have already taken hold, and these connections are so intimate that, even without realizing it, the viewer is feeling what the characters are feeling.

The film is a quiet character piece, and the level of engagement in the movie is grounded primarily in one's favor of that aspect in this particular context. Overall, technically speaking, this film is superb; it is wonderfully made and spectacularly acted.

On a personal level, though, I legitimately cannot think of anything bad to say about the movie, yet I also cannot say I was captivated to the extent of developing the urge to watch it again.