How a quiet drama about survival became the most reviewed perfect film ever
In short: Debra Granik’s 2018 film Leave No Trace follows a veteran with PTSD and his daughter living in the Oregon woods. It achieved a rare 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes across 248 reviews, marking it as the most reviewed film in history to maintain a perfect score.
Directed by Debra Granik and co-written with Anne Rosellini, the film adapts Peter Rock’s 2009 novel My Abandonment, which itself draws from a true story. The narrative centers on Will, a military veteran struggling with trauma, and his teenage daughter, Tom. They exist in near-total isolation within Portland’s Forest Park, relying on survival skills and occasional forays into town for supplies. Their fragile independence is shattered when a jogger spots Tom, leading to intervention by social services and a forced attempt at assimilation into conventional society.
The film’s power lies in its restraint. Critics like Manohla Dargis of The New York Times and Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times praised the performances of Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie for their sensitivity and honesty. While some reviewers, such as Peter Debruge of Variety, felt the story lacked narrative urgency, the film resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike. It was named a favorite film of 2018 by figures including Mark Kermode and former U.S. President Barack Obama.
Production took place in the spring of 2017, utilizing Eagle Fern Park in Clackamas County for its forest settings. The film’s atmosphere is bolstered by a score from Dickon Hinchliffe and an original song by Kendra Smith, her first solo recording since 1996. Ultimately, the story explores the profound, often painful divergence between a parent’s need for isolation and a child’s burgeoning desire for connection. As Tom tells her father during their final, tearful parting, their needs are not the same, marking a poignant end to their life off the grid.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Leave No Trace (film)
- Also: Wikidata — Leave No Trace · CC0
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