Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Leave No Trace Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 1, 2018

Leave No Trace is a movie about survival. There are elements of physical survival in the midst of nature's relentless realities for a father and daughter living off the grid, away from both people and the technology that might yield more creature comforts that, for some, come at the expense of something much more valuable. But the film's primary focus is the survival of the soul, the survival of one's essence and one's sanity. Writer/Director Debra Granik (Winter's Bone) has crafted a carefully considered and thematically rich story of a father and daughter who exist within themselves, for themselves, for the betterment of themselves, away from the world. The story evolves as unwelcome and, frankly, unwarranted interruptions stymie and eventually stamp out their way of life, leaving them faced with new challenges not necessarily as they adjust to a different way of life but as they deal with their own individual callings and needs along the way. This is a very rewarding watch, an insight into what it means to be a father, a daughter, an individual, and a willing or reluctant member of modern society.

We've been bothered enough.

Will (Ben Foster), a widower and military veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and his daughter Tom (Thomasin McKenzie) live off the grid in the Oregon wilderness. The escape from people and the pressures of the world is essential to Will's well-being, as is sharing his life with Tom. Both thrive on isolation. While they make use of modern conveniences -- propane for fuel, LED headlamps, duct tape, and supermarket food which they acquire on rare and carefully stealthy trips into the world -- they both thrive on one another's company and making a life of peace beyond the world's distractions. One day, the police raid their modest encampment. Will is handcuffed and led away and Tom is forced to leave with a social worker. When it becomes clear that Will is no threat to Tom's well being and that Tom wants only to live with her father, the two are placed in a modest home where Will is required to work harvesting Christmas trees for the trailer's owner. But as the pressures mount on Will, he is left with no choice but to take Tom and flee once again in hopes of escaping a world in which he cannot physically or emotionally exist.

Leave No Trace builds an incredibly heartfelt story of an emotionally wounded father and a mature-beyond-her-years daughter sacrificing so much to see him through not a difficult time but a difficult life. The challenge for the family is Tom's natural progression into adulthood. She truly, legitimately cares for her father and truly, legitimately loves the lifestyle they share, though right from the beginning the film subtly reveals cracks in the armor. When Will struggles to start a fire, Tom insists they use propane to cook, even if it's on short supply. She's hungry, and she doesn't have the mental appetite to wait out the old fashioned means of cooking her meal. But she's loyal to her father, even if it means sacrificing her own desires, which are not many but do grow when she's exposed to the modern world's conveniences, some of which she understands and craves, some of which she does not and rejects. She certainly doesn't want the bustle of traffic and cell phones and densely populated urban life, but the danger for Will is that she will eventually want something more than she has, even if her "more" isn't "much" by today's standards.

Thomasin McKenzie is stellar in the role Will's daughter. She plays the part very close to the vest. She obviously gravitates towards a different life, particularly once she has had a taste of it, but her love for her father is unwavering and her devotion to her father is unquestionable. She willingly sacrifices for his well being and she thrives in his company. But the question is how far she can go by his side and, perhaps just as pointed, how far Will can, or could, go without her. Ben Foster, one of the best and perhaps most under-appreciated actors working today, melts into the role of a man who knows what is best for him and, by necessary extension, he believes, his daughter. The question for him is what is the most powerful driving force in his life: his condition or the love he has for his daughter?

One of the takeaways from the movie is that there are good people in the world. Good in their own way, maybe, whether they are part of or away from the modern world’s way of doing things, but good all the same. The people at Social Services mean well. They settle Tom and Will in a comfortable enough home, provide not only basic supplies but a few niceties like a bicycle for Tom and an opportunity to enroll her in school. Will is asked to work in a field where Christmas trees are grown and harvested. It’s a critical symbolism, essentially representing the destruction of the natural state in which he thrives, a destruction he is forced to aid. Even with good intentions, the people from Social Services only make things worse for him and force Will towards the most difficult decisions of his life.

Leave No Trace Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Leave No Trace leaves little to the imagination. With this 1080p video presentation, detail is very high. Close-ups reveal intimate, finely-honed fabric and facial details, while, generally, the lush vegetation sparkles with intense clarity and distinction between various types of leaves. A few shots lack the absolute precision detail that the beautiful scenery demands. A scene at the 9:20 mark is very flat and very noisy. Colors are pleasing with a strong, naturally grounded intensity that allows green vegetation to sparkle while variously colored clothes and locations around town, including a grocery store and Social Services offices and interiors, never miss a beat. Blacks can be a little elevated, such as a nighttime tent interior in chapter two, but there's little cause for significant alarm. Flesh tones appear accurate. This is a well rounded 1080p transfer from Universal.

Leave No Trace Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The film's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack proves capable at every turn. Gentle natural ambience effortlessly filters through, creating an aurally relaxing world of life around the listener: rustling leaves, birds, insects, gently falling rain, a beautiful symphony of simple. The track seems to emphasize the heightened sounds of the modern world when Will and Tom go into town. Rumbling cars and trains are intensely prioritized while later the sounds of a helicopter whirling above and saws cutting down trees are amongst the most aggressive in the movie, piercing the speakers but also piercing Will's soul. There's some realistically cramped music spilling from a speaker at church in chapter seven while general score enjoys rich clarity and wide spacing. Dialogue is never problematic in delivery.

Leave No Trace Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Leave No Trace contains a photo gallery, featurettes, and a pair of deleted scenes. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase. The release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Included are Social Media & Slugs (1:01) and Kryss and Gus (1:28).
• Behind-the-Scenes Vignettes (1080i, 15:46 total runtime): Five brief features that explore various aspects off the film's production, centered on how the actors prepared for various, critical scenes that play with real-world authenticity. Included are Learning to Touch Bees, Touching Bees, Forest Park Rehearsal, Devotional Dance, and Rabbits.
• Creating Leave No Trace (1080p, 3:08): Cast and crew recount the plot, praise Writer/Director Debra Granik, discuss story themes, and more.
• Location Scout Photo Gallery (1080p, 5:00): About 30 still images which auto-advance (or advance with a press of the remote's right arrow key) and are not set to any music.

Leave No Trace Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Leave No Trace is a powerful film of family, mental health, and wanted and unwanted aid forced upon a family to varying degrees of success and failure. A compelling story and richly defined characters shape the movie into one of the best of the year. Universal's Blu-ray delivers a quality sight and sound experience. A few supplements are included. Very highly recommended.