Leave No Trace

A father and daughter are avoiding society, trying to live in the woods, and so on. Is it alright for the dad not to integrate his daughter into society, to fail to give her something other than his own education? And how long can such a strong family bond, where they only have each other, last? A nice relationship flick that views society from the other side without criticizing either of the two worlds. Set at a quiet narrative pace, Leave No Trace is nearly devoid of drama, with fewer characters and without the colorfulness of the similar Captain Fantastic. [Cannes] (05/14/2018)

Clearly, this calls for a straight comparison to Captain Fantastic, which, however, was shot in a different mood and, above all, was more fun and playful. It has to be noted that Leave No Trace is really lengthy at times – though not boring either. Its plotline just lacks singularity. As a result, the film somehow flows from beginning to end at its own pace, then fades away relatively quickly at the end. That being said, all my appreciation goes to Thomasin McKenzie for taking on the main role with such grip and enthusiasm. All that is left for Ben Foster is to aptly support her. [KVIFF 2018] (07/05/2018)

Almost all my life I've had the same approach to nature as the main characters in the film, so I was happy to be guided by them through the forest corners of the state of Oregon. If I were more courageous, I would definitely go to join them, because I increasingly see modern civilization as a necessary evil. American independent filmmaker Debra Granik tells an extremely powerful story full of a strange, wistful poetry that leaves a nostalgic feeling in the soul. Although I think I understood the mindset and motives of both the father and the daughter, I'm still a little disappointed that there remained more questions than answers at the end. (75%) (02/19/2023)

A bit of a tramping drama in the vein of Captain Fantastic about a dad and his daughter who live in a natural way and try to become one with nature. This doesn’t go over well with people who live orthodox lives and don’t understand and condemn everything but the established norm. The Americans are terrible puritans in this regard, but in here (Czech Republic) this movie has to warm the heart of every tramp. I liked it too and I’m not even a tramp. Here in the Czech Republic, we are probably more benevolent than the people in the USA. The second half of the movie and the moments in the community with the uncle, who played American tramp songs, were really nice, radiating a feeling of well-being and freedom; just like the ending itself, which was flawless Ben Foster engraved himself into my memory thanks to this role and I am looking forward to seeing him in Medieval. (07/05/2019)

Quite an introverted film, not just in terms of its characters but in its storytelling style too. Set in the beautiful forests where a father and his daughter live off the grid by choice, it shows the father rejecting modern society while his daughter, though initially following his lead, starts to find joy in interacting with people. The main theme revolves around the relationship between humans and nature, contrasting a simple, non-materialistic life with the complexities of modern living. I’ve seen several films with similar themes, like Into the Wild and Captain Fantastic. Compared to those, Leave No Trace is much more intimate, noticeably slower, and a bit harder to get into. At two hours, the film feels a bit sluggish at times, with some parts dragging on and failing to fully capture my attention. The story heads towards a fairly predictable conclusion where both main characters have to make the only decisions that feel true to themselves. While it’s an interesting and beautifully shot film, it didn't quite move me as much as I hoped. Still, I appreciate its craftsmanship and give it a thumbs up. (07/05/2018)