Leave No Trace Review

PG: Thematic material throughoutBleecker Street, Bron Studios1 Hr and 48 MinutesDir: Debra Granik | Writers: Debra Granik, Anne RoselliniCast: Ben Foster, Thomasin McKenzieIt just goes to show that non-animated/non-Pixar movies PG movies can make you end up
Will (Ben Foster) and his teenage daughter, Tom (Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie), have lived off the grid for years in the forests of Portland, Oregon. When their idyllic life is shattered, both are put into social services. After clashing with their new surroundings, Will and Tom set off on a harrowing journey back to their wild homeland.THE GOODWhat Granik embedded into the narrative that makes the emotion effectively powerful is the subtlety. Other movies of this heavy-handed nature would’ve most likely taken other routes to either pander or manipulate the audience to emote, but not earn it; especially films that bear the PG rating and aren’t animated movies but water themselves down.
The film’s most engaging factor of the narrative is that you can’t predict where this story goes as you anticipate the reason why Will has Tom wandering the woods. He is a good dad and Granik expresses how he loves Tom very much through his actions. Yeah, he’s being irresponsible by having her live out in the woods, but he always makes sure she’s okay despite any condition. He listens to everything she says and has her best interest in mind so it just heightens your curiosity. When it is revealed, it’s just depressing.The film has an incredibly somber tone but maintains a relatively good nature. Every person Will and Tom meet on their expeditions through the wilderness takes a kindness towards them. Every person they encounter has nothing but their best interest in mind for the two and having a normal life. Unfortunately, Will rebuffs the heartwarmingly kind offers other people make towards them after a short time and he and Tom are back to their journey.Ben Foster’s character (Will) may not be the best dad due to his actions and the dangerous and treacherous journeys he has his daughter embark on with him. His performance is incredible in a way we’ve never seen him before. Foster carries himself as a loving and caring protector to his  daughter, but he’s quiet and has a face of constant panic that makes you concerned.
But, the true shining star of this film is newcomer Thomasin McKenzie as Tom who is not only the audiences’ avatar, but has to be the most mature adolescent character I’ve seen in film. Throughout the film, Tom is calm and reserved with every situation she’s thrown into and handles herself maturely. She isn’t one of those teenage girls who rebels against authority or is moody. Because of the way her dad raised her, she follows his protocol but is very adaptable to different environments. She still has her innocence as a kid where she is concerned for her dad’s well being and makes sure he’s doing okay no matter what. McKenzie carries her own so amazingly that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her get nominations for her incredible performance in the next award season. You think DiCaprio did a shit ton in “The Revenant” to earn his Oscar? Foster and McKenzie give him a run for his money.Even when looking it up for review, I was flabbergasted to see that this was rated PG which makes this film even more outstanding. There isn’t any brutal content because of one intense action, one slip of vulgarity, ANYTHING AT ALL, that would give this movie a PG-13 rating.“Leave No Trace” is the second movie this year with a PG rating that was so moving, I’m ready to start campaigning for it during it’s awards season run. “Paddington 2” may be the most perfect PG family film of all time, but “Leave No Trace” is a perfect PG film. This may be too quiet for families and a lot of the thematic elements might fly over the kids’ head, but as a narrative film centered on the emotion and the storytelling, this is perfect. The way Granik delivers an impactful punch by the final 20 minutes is in the same vein Pixar delivers their films. “Leave No Trace” has a sequence that is as emotionally heartbreaking as any given Pixar classic without losing its integrity, and holy crap does it break your heart. “Leave No Trace”? More like LEAVE NO TRACE OF MY TEARS AS I LEFT THE THEATER!LAST STATEMENTBeautifully written and powerfully performed by the two leads, Debra Granik’s “Leave No Trace” is a subtle moving story with complexity and heart.Rating: 5/5 | 96%Super Scene: Tom’s nature call