This is how the narrative traditionally goes. Debra Granik would receive multiple Oscar nominations, considerable critical praise, and introduce Jennifer Lawrence to the world with “Winter’s Bone.” You would think a director should’ve been able to get any project they wanted made after that. Instead, Granik wouldn’t direct another movie for eight years. Was Hollywood’s noted sexism against women directors to blame? Or was it simply the precarious nature of independent film funding that kept such an acclaimed storyteller from moving forward in her career? People loved the idea of a fiercely independent artist being held back by an unfair system.
Of course, we now know this isn’t entirely true. Granik did make another movie during that period. Yet it’s clear that a made-for-television documentary was not the follow-up to “Winter’s Bone” most expected. It is also true that Granik developed several projects during the nearly decade long break that didn’t make it off the ground. (Including an adaptation of the novel, “Rule of the Bone,” the presumed conclusion to the osteo-trilogy. There was also an HBO pilot that didn't get picked up.) Instead, a different book adaptation — based on Peter Rock’s “My Abandonment” — would be the much-anticipated follow-up to actually make it in front of cameras and on movie screens. While “Leave No Trace” would not reach the same level of success as “Winter’s Bone,” it was similarly beloved by movie fans.
13-year-old girl Tom lives with her father, Iraq war veteran Will, in a heavily-forested national park in Portland, Oregon. The two have long since adapted to the transient life-style, living in peace. This changes when Tom is spotted by joggers. They are taken in by social services and, once it’s determined Tom isn’t in danger, the two are relocated to a traditional home. Tom adapts to this new life fairly quickly but Will continues to struggle to find peace. He soon sets off with his daughter again, into the wilderness, but Tom is starting to wonder if this is the life for her.
Yet, what most distinguish “Leave No Trace” from Granik’s previous films is its tone of quiet melancholy. “Down to the Bone” and “Stray Dog” were most about getting to know their subjects, while “Winter’s Bone” had touches of a thriller. The sense of loneliness, of isolation, of not belonging, that lurked within those films completely takes over here. There are long stretches of “Leave No Trace” with little to no dialogue. Silence, or the sounds of nature at the very least, dominates much of the film. It is peaceful, even if the thought that Will doesn’t fit in anywhere is never far from your mind. This changes once Will and Tom attempt to integrate into regular society. Simply through the way she presents her story, Granik gets the viewer to understand how Will feels.
While the “Bone” films focused on poor families trying to scrap by, “Leave No Trace” is about people who choose to be homeless. Granik is not glorifying poverty, like indie quirk-fests such as “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” She acknowledges the hardships of this life. Tom nearly gets frostbite in her toes, after her shoes fall apart while walking in the rain. Will breaks his ankle late in the story, an injury likely to hinder his mobility for the rest of his life after he refuses proper care. Yet there is something undeniably cozy about Tom and Will’s life. A scene devoted to them setting up an umbrella in the rain is cute. The peacefulness of their forest bound existence is undeniably appealing. While pointing out that this life isn’t for most people, “Leave No Trace” shows that this level of freedom, of being away from the constrictions of society, has its advantages.
Ultimately, above everything else, “Leave No Trace” is a classical coming-of-age story about a daughter and a father growing apart. At story’s beginning, Tom is perfectly happy where she is. Once the two are “caught,” she repeatedly clarified that she was never harmed and wants to go back. However, once introduced to the comforts of modern life, Tom starts to change her mind. Once again, the film doesn’t rely upon theatrical emotions. Tom always loves her dad and Will, obviously, cares deeply about his daughter. Yet a lingering fear, that they are destined for different paths, soon enters their relationship. In many ways, “Leave No Trace’s” story of wilderness survival is a metaphor for the traditional struggles of growing up, of realizing what you want out of life and what your parents planned for you might be different.
Naked sentimentality is not something Debra Granik's films usually indulge in. They are much too gritty and grounded in reality for that. However, “Leave No Trace's” tear-jerking finale tugs at the heart strings in a totally effective way. As with most of the film, the emotions behind the scene are more felt than expressed. The brief words Tom uses – “I know you'd stay if you could” – ends up saying so much. It's a reversal of the dynamic seen in the film up to that point, of Will being the authority figure. In a totally earned move, a natural progression, daughter has outstripped father in maturity. It's a point conveyed with such grace and emotion.
Ben Foster, as Will, is also very good. The character similarly keeps his emotions close to his chest. While Tom is merely processing the emotions of a girl, Will carries a lifetime of secret pain inside. Foster never overdoes it or makes the trauma Will is living with seem anything but natural. The conflict the character feels, his inability to cope with the pressures of daily life, are expressed through stern looks and downward gazes. Underplaying it like this not only serves the film's style better, it also gives us a more intimate understanding of Will's condition. It's another quality performance from the reliable actor.
Carrying on from her previous films, “Leave No Trace” also has a grounded visual approach. The camera work is none-too-flashy but simply observes the characters as they exist. Fans of the filmmaker should be use to this documentary-style approach of her's by now. What is truly stands out about “Leave No Trace” is its gorgeous Pacific Northwest setting. More than once, Granik just points her cameras as the beautiful green leaves and sprawling forest of the region. The end credits are a montage of the same forest. You get the impression the director just liked looking at the natural beauty of this setting. The audience doesn't mind either.
Debra Granik has a couple of projects in development. That “Rule of the Bone” adaptation – a story about a teenage boy working as a porter in Jamaica – is still being considered. Granik has also been attached to an adaptation of the non-fiction book “Nickel and Dimed,” about the poverty line in America, and a documentary about ex-cons trying to reintegrate in New York City. Needless to say, Granik continues to have a laser-focus on her interests and pet themes. Considering the deeply noncommercial nature of her movies, who knows if any of these will come to fruition? Either way, Granik's raw talent obviously makes me look forward to whatever she comes out with next.
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