It’s 1999 and a father and his teenage daughter live off the grid in the Forest Park, a beautiful nature reserve near Portland, Oregon. Why are they living in such a primitive fashion? Like Captain Fantastic (2016) where a father raises his children away from civilization, My Abandonment (2009)–the book Leave No Trace is based on–critiques American society by contrasting the stripped-down Life this father and young daughter live while surrounded by a materialistic society.
Director Debra Granik made the surprising Winter’s Bone eight years ago which was based on Daniel Woodrell’s 2006 novel of the same name. Winter’s Bone launched the career of Jennifer Lawrence and Leave No Trace will supercharge the careers of Ben Foster and Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie.
Ben Foster plays his role of Will, a veteran with “problems,” in a quiet, understated fashion with intensity. Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, the New Zealand phenom who plays Tom, adores her father and wants to protect him. Debra Granik and her co-screenwriter Anne Rosellini follow the plotline of My Abandonment for about two-thirds of the movie. Then, they make a strategic decision to change the ending. The novel’s ending is darker while the movie’s ending is more hopeful. Both work. Michael McDonough’s cinematography is stunning. GRADE: A-
On my to see list. Not a lot out there right now except a boatload of docs. Hard to interest friends in this when you try to describe what it’s about. Always liked Ben Foster ever since I first saw him in Six Feet Under. He has also been very good in 3:10 to Yuma and Hell or High Water.
Steve, you’re right about Ben Foster’s acting chops. Diane wants to see MAMMA MIA! 2 so we’ll be going to see it later this week. I thought the first MAMMA MIA! movie was weak. The stage version was infinitely better.
Couldn’t drag me to Momma Mia with a gun to my head. If I was married it would be grounds for divorce.
Steve, the things we do for Love…
Even Jackie will wait for MAMMA MIA 2 on cable. We’ve seen the trailer several times and it does NOT look good. But then, the first one was weak.
I liked CAPTAIN FANTASTIC so might see this one, eventually.
Jeff, Cher stars in MAMMA MIA! 2 so that might hold my interest. Cher has also recorded an album of ABBA covers due to come out in September.
Foster also played a small but memorable role in HOSTILES.
Jeff, I admire all the performances I’ve seen of Ben Foster.
It is better than CAPTAIN FANTASTIC because it is more realistic, less romanticized, I think. Great movie indeed. Foster is always terrific.
Patti, the story behind MY ABANDONMENT and LEAVE NO TRACE is based on the true story of a Vietnam War veteran who lived in the forest with his daughter for four years.
I have to admit that “life on the fringes” doesn’t freally appeal to me – I already have problems understanding the idea of home schooling.
Isn’t contact with other people an important/essential part of growing up?
I find it crazy that people try to avoid this – especially when the other people have different opinions, maybe even a different religion…
Wolf, there are a lot of people in the United States that retreat from Society and Civilization. This was just an extreme example of that psychosis.