“Leave No Trace” is a small, independent film with very little, what an audience would call ‘action’ but the film offers the beautiful scenery of Oregon forests, love of animals, a super performance by young Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie matched by Ben Foster as her father Will and an emotional ending.

Tom and her father have been living in the woods of Forest Park completely undetected for a couple of years. Her mother had died when Tom was young and her father suffers PTSD and we follow what happens when they are ‘discovered’ and brought into the world of community. There is a strong love between daughter and father and though she finds sharing life with others is giving something a growing teenager needs she does not want to be separated from her Dad.

Tom is way ahead scholastically due to the teaching by her father but meeting bunnies, dogs even bees along with discovering what the 4H is, learning how to ride a bike and meets a friendly boy, giving her a taste what she may have missed not knowing she was missing it.

There is no high drama regarding Will’s illness, no question if the two are homeless or just not living as most people do, just a quiet look at how people can take your heart and, sometimes, that is not enough.

“Leave No Trace” is a linear story that, in a sense, has an open ending but you have come to know these two people to the point that you almost know what will happen to them in the future—with some doubt.

Though it may not be a ‘must see’ it certainly is a way to escape the South Florida heat and humidity for an hour and fifty minutes and watching Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie give a star making turn is certainly worth your time.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_07ktacEGo8