not as good as all the hype

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Leave No Trace is inoffensive and charming, but it isn't particularly memorable. Perhaps melodramatic or emotional types might disagree with my impression, but it's my impression. It's a pleasant enough film, though.

Low-key, minimalist and unpretentious, this film does not angle for formulaic storytelling. What it does instead is portray a former U.S. military service member's close relationship with his teenage daughter and his choice to raise her away from modern society. A true survivalist, the father teaches her how to get by on her own in the wilderness in the Pacific Northwest. They live together in a national park in Oregon when their lives are upended upon being discovered by law enforcement.Ben Foster is quietly powerful as the father and newcomer Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie is equally amazing and sympathetic as his teenage daughter. The two play off each other flawlessly and the father-daughter relationship that soon starts to fray is wonderfully brought to life. The narrative of this film can sometimes seem very slight but as with other films, that doesn't always take away from a film's achievement. It certainly doesn't here. In some respects, the slow pacing makes the turns of events all the more magnified.With a conclusion that makes me more emotional the more I think about it, this film is worthy of respect and recognition. It conveys the delicate balance of one's relationship with a parent as one comes of age. It does not pretend to have any clear answers. But nor does it try to judge the two people whose lives are depicted here. A deeply affecting tale like this doesn't come around that often. Strongly recommended.

A beautiful relationship between her and her damaged father. Did not feel like a movie. I felt that I was living their life. So emotional.

I really liked the style of this movie. Nothing is ever explained, and little is even said, but the plot is sort of inferred from peoples actions. The atmosphere is also perfect, very vivid in it's capture of different environments.Now here's why I didn't like it very much. This is going to be kind of a spoiler, so stop reading here if you haven't seen it.So, the *storytelling* is great, but I found the actual story to be unrealistic. Every time the characters encounter the outside world, even the grittier parts of it, they find it to be warm and welcoming. I think the writers did this so as not to distract from the real reason the father went off-grid; but it just comes off as totally contrived. Like it's one thing to have some unusual characters, but its just everybody. Nobody behaves in a realistic way; everyone's just ..too nice.My second problem is with the girl. Supposedly she's been raised in the woods for a long time, with just her dad and a couple of damp textbooks; but inexplicably whenever she finds herself in a social situation, shes perfectly well adjusted and shows no difficulty. It's a feel good moment when the girl meets a boy or an old woman, and just instantly makes a connection with them and has a nice conversation; but really?? Being in the woods for years had no effect on her?? It just doesn't make any sense.Basically they portray this totally intense situation; but inexplicably it doesn't seem to have any psychological effect on the characters. This made it very hard to *believe* anything that happened.