---
title: "Leave No Trace"
year: 2018
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/leave-no-trace"
fi1m_id: "leave-no-trace"
imdb_id: "tt3892172"
tmdb_id: 443463
wikidata_id: "Q47470782"
fi1m_score: 88
critics_score: 84
critics_reviews: 19
published: "2026-09-16"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:11.655073+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Leave No Trace (2018)

Directed by Debra Granik · 1h 49m · MPA PG · Drama

## Identity

Leave No Trace

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/leave-no-trace
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** leave-no-trace
- **IMDb ID:** tt3892172
- **TMDB ID:** 443463
- **Wikidata ID:** Q47470782
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3892172/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/443463, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q47470782

**Fi1m score: 88** · Critics 84 from 19 reviews

*In a sentence:* Living in the woods gets complicated when your daughter discovers she rather likes people

> Debra Granik’s father-and-daughter drama is patient, compassionate and deeply affecting, with Thomasin McKenzie and Ben Foster making its small exchanges matter. A few stretches linger too long, but the relationship holds our attention.

## Synopsis

In the Oregon woods, army veteran Will (Ben Foster) and his daughter Tom (Thomasin McKenzie) live off-grid in a public park. Their days follow the routines of forest life, and Will wants to keep their dealings with other people to a minimum. Encounters with the authorities, and with Jean (Dana Millican), interrupt that arrangement and raise the prospect of a more settled life. Tom is accustomed to following her father’s lead, but she is also curious about the people beyond their woodland home. Staying together means working out whose needs their life in the woods actually serves.

## Review

*Leave No Trace* is a tender, absorbing drama, with a little too much patience for its own silences. Debra Granik takes the daily tasks of a father and daughter living off-grid seriously enough for us to understand why their life suits them. She also keeps us alert to the possibility that the daughter might want something else. The screenplay, co-written with Anne Rosellini, allows that difference to become apparent without making either character deliver a position statement.

Thomasin McKenzie plays Tom with a competence that makes the relationship convincing before its difficulties become clear. In the forest routines, she seems accustomed to working alongside Will, played by Ben Foster, and quietly confident of her place there. We were moved by how ordinary their closeness felt. The practised business of living together gives their affection something solid, and her curiosity about other people never looks like a sudden personality change.

Ben Foster keeps Will’s unease close to the surface without turning every exchange into an announcement of distress. His reserve can be difficult to read, but it makes sense for a man whose contact with society is so strained. Debra Granik gives his experience as a veteran weight without resorting to combat scenes to account for him. There is room to care about him and still worry about the life he has chosen for his daughter.

Michael McDonough’s cinematography gives the woodland enough attention for its attraction to make sense, without making an escape there look easy. The forest is a place to live and work, and the images keep that practical concern in view. Chad Keith’s production design is similarly attentive to lives sustained with limited resources. The surroundings feel used by the characters, which helps the film avoid making their hardship into something for us to admire from a comfortable distance.

Jane Rizzo’s editing allows those routines to establish a rhythm before the dealings with authority disturb it. The disruption has weight because we have had time to settle into their company. Dickon Hinchliffe’s music leaves the performances enough space, and does not make every hesitation sound momentous. We are trusted to pay attention to the small differences between what the father and daughter want.

The restraint does become wearing in places. Once Will’s difficulty with other people is clear, some of the film’s continued watchfulness yields little that is new. The writing occasionally depends on the actors to make another withheld response feel necessary, and even these performances cannot do that indefinitely. A firmer cut would have helped the middle without requiring a louder or more conventional drama.

For a story about people outside ordinary society, the film is refreshingly reluctant to make everyone they encounter a threat. Debra Granik’s interest in kindness keeps the drama from becoming a series of tests administered by unpleasant strangers. It makes Tom’s interest in a wider life persuasive, too: there might be something worth joining. Give it an evening when a quiet conversation can hold your attention; the actors deserve that much.

*Fi1m score 88, published 16 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The consensus is strongly positive, with praise centred on Debra Granik’s compassionate direction and the performances of Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie. Most critics find the father-daughter drama moving without sentimentality, crediting its attention to forest routines and the practical difficulties of living outside society. McKenzie draws particular notice for conveying the daughter’s growing independence with quiet assurance. The reviews also value Granik’s refusal to romanticise off-grid life or simplify the pair’s encounters with authority.

The differences concern how well that restraint sustains the drama, rather than its empathy or acting. Variety admires McKenzie and the film’s visual environment but finds the story somewhat meandering and short on strong hooks. The Times offers a sharper reservation: the central performances convey intense inner lives, yet their lack of expression eventually becomes deadening. These objections sit within a broadly admiring response, with most critics finding emotional depth in the understatement.

## Straight answers

**Is Leave No Trace worth watching?**

*Leave No Trace* is worth watching for anyone who can settle into a quiet drama about a father and daughter living off-grid, and we scored it 88. Thomasin McKenzie and Ben Foster make the small exchanges between them matter, and the film is patient without being cold. A few stretches in the middle linger longer than they need to.

**How long is Leave No Trace, and what is it rated?**

*Leave No Trace* runs 1h 49m and is rated PG by the MPA in the US. It is a drama film.

**Where can I watch Leave No Trace in the US?**

*Leave No Trace* is streaming on Hulu, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $4.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Leave No Trace compare to The Spirit of the Beehive?**

*Leave No Trace* and [*The Spirit of the Beehive*](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive) both rest on a child's watchful face carrying adult troubles that nobody fully explains, but they work differently. Debra Granik's film is a plain, warm drama about a relationship under strain; Víctor Erice's is stranger and more unsettling, and its images occasionally hold you at a distance. We think the Granik is the more approachable evening, the Erice the more haunting one.

**What should I watch after Leave No Trace?**

After *Leave No Trace*, try [*The Quiet Girl*](https://film.one/film/the-quiet-girl) (2022, Fi1m 84): Another child’s growing sense of belonging, carried by small changes in behaviour. Then [*The Spirit of the Beehive*](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive) (1973, Fi1m 87): A child’s watchful face carries adult troubles that nobody will properly explain.

### Reviews we read (29)

- **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (4/5/5): The critic lauds Granik's tender portrayal of a father and daughter living off the grid, noting its empathetic depiction of the underclasses and emotional depth as one of the year's best. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/leave-no-trace)
- **Slant Magazine**, Chuck Bowen (4/4): Granik is commended for refining a style of tranquil intensity with rapt, pared-down images and deep empathy. The review highlights the film's sobering vision as a respite from modern culture and its strong performances. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/leave-no-trace/)
- **Film Comment**, Jonathan Romney (90/100, inferred): The critic praises Granik's empathetic and tactile direction of an off-grid father-daughter story, noting its nuanced take on autonomy versus social integration and the standout naturalistic performances, especially from newcomer Thomasin McKenzie. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/film-week-leave-no-trace/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a reminder that the movie world is better with Debra Granik in it, praising its sensitive and honest portrayal of a father and daughter living off the grid and the exceptional performances by Ben Foster and Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie. It highlights the film's emotional resonance and Granik's skill in avoiding narrative traps. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-leave-no-trace-review-20180628-story.html)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Jon Frosch (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it an absorbing, delicately directed and acted father-daughter drama full of compassion. Granik is praised for her unsentimental humanism and the strong performances of Foster and McKenzie. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/leave-no-trace-review-1075523/)
- **Vulture** (85/100, inferred): The review finds the film grim yet captivating, praising its mournful tone and extraordinary acting by Foster and McKenzie. Granik is lauded for her empathy toward the characters and exploration of their relationship. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2018/06/review-leave-no-trace-is-a-captivating-father-daughter-tale.html)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (80/100, inferred): It is described as a modest but extraordinarily graceful coming-of-age story about what people need from each other. The review highlights the film's rock-solid emotional core and Granik's direction. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/leave-no-trace-review-debra-granik-sundance-2018-1201917352/)
- **The Guardian** (80/100, inferred): Granik’s complex study of an army vet and his daughter living off-grid in a public park is a careful, realistic alternative to more naive wilderness films. It balances intelligence with a sense of what is truly at stake for those rejecting conventional life. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/may/13/leave-no-trace-review-debra-granik)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (80/100, inferred): The critic praises Granik's focus on the father and daughter's forest routines and their tense relationship with society, highlighting the strong performances especially Thomasin McKenzie's quiet strength as the daughter grows independent. The film is noted for its subtle portrayal of PTSD and for functioning as a war film without overt combat. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/07/02/leave-no-trace-and-three-identical-strangers)
- **The Telegraph** (4/5): Granik’s subtle film follows a father and daughter who spurn convention and live off-grid, charting their clashes with authority and attempts to maintain their way of life. It is assured and irresistibly gripping, with strong performances from Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2018/05/11/leave-no-trace-review-irresistible-tale-one-mans-attempt-escape/)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): The critic commends the smart, heartfelt examination of outsiderdom through subtle character building and strong performances by Foster and McKenzie in this realist drama. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/leave-no-trace)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (70/100, inferred): The critic notes the film's profound empathy for its backwoods characters and the discovery of young talent in Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, comparing it favorably to Granik's Winter's Bone while observing its low-key nature may limit its cultural impact. It praises the visual environment and the young actress's emergence but finds the story somewhat meandering without strong hooks. [Read](https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/leave-no-trace-review-1202667974/)
- **Empire**, Ian Freer: Granik’s film delivers a subtler, more rewarding trail than expected, a small but quietly powerful tender portrait of a father-daughter transition in rural America. The critic singles out the compassionate detail, Foster’s humble fragility, and especially McKenzie’s impressive, note-perfect performance as the film’s ace card. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/leave-trace-review/)
- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan: Debra Granik’s follow-up to Winter’s Bone offers a lovely answer to themes of life beyond celebrity, centering on an ex-veteran father and daughter living off-grid whose differing desires create tension. The critic highlights the human performances, subtle script, and McKenzie’s standout talent as making the film moving and memorable. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/leave-no-trace-review-deep-in-the-oregon-forest-a-father-and-daughter-drama-stirs-a3875246.html)
- **Screen Daily**: The critic highlights the moving character drama with remarkable understatement, praising the performances and Granik's tenderness in portraying marginalized individuals. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/leave-no-trace-review/5125510.article)
- **Sight and Sound**, Pamela Hutchinson: The critic praises the subtle drama of a father and daughter's diverging paths in off-grid life, highlighting Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie's breakthrough performance and the film's understated emotional poignancy and political relevance. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-leave-no-trace-grieves-wild-heart)
- **The Independent**: The film is a subtle and enigmatic drama straddling wilderness folklore and social realism, focusing on a father and daughter living off-grid in Oregon woods. The critic praises its understatement, strong performances especially from Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, and down-to-earth approach over pretension. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/leave-no-trace-review-wildernessstyle-folklore-meets-hardboiled-social-realism-a8419181.html)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★☆☆): Two masterclasses in minimalism from Granik’s central performers convey intense interior lives as the pair tangle with authorities and attempt to live off-grid. The lack of expression eventually becomes deadening, leading to a disappointingly muted climax. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/film-review-leave-no-trace-m0fx0v2vx)
- **Total Film**: Foster and McKenzie thoroughly convince in Granik’s hands, moulding a subtle, assured, and often powerful tale adapted from a true story-inspired novel. The critic praises McKenzie’s powerful turn worthy of comparison to Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone, noting the film’s emotional finale. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/leave-no-trace-review/)
- **/Film**, Steven Prokopy (9/10): Granik returns with another tale of families living off-the-grid, turning it into a coming-of-age story about a father's inability to integrate and a daughter's desire for community. It offers the opportunity to consider rarely portrayed lifestyles with subtlety. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/555839/leave-no-trace-review/)
- **The Playlist**, Jordan Ruimy (A-): The film captures a rare positivity about American life and humanity through its good-natured spirit and the bond between father and daughter. Granik delivers a subtle, lovely character piece about outsiders rarely seen on screen. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/leaveno-trace-review-20180130/)
- **Digital Spy**, Hugh Armitage (85/100, inferred): The review highlights Granik's talent-spotting with the young lead and the film's warmer, more hopeful tone than Winter's Bone, commending the strong central performances and naturalistic storytelling. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a857943/leave-no-trace-review-debra-granik-thomasin-mckenzie-winters-bone/)
- **Consequence** (80/100, inferred): The sensitive drama offers rare insight into a troubled veteran's psyche and a strained father-daughter bond, anchored by phenomenal performances from McKenzie and Foster that convey authentic emotional weight and relational depth. [Read](https://consequence.net/2018/06/film-review-leave-no-trace/)
- **The Skinny**, Kelli Weston (80/100, inferred): The piece calls the film an exquisite, haunting tale of family and community with excellent performances from Foster and the promising McKenzie, praising its simple yet resonant ethos about faith in others. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/festivals/uk-festivals/film/a-snapshot-of-american-indie-cinema-in-2018)
- **The Wrap**, Elizabeth Weitzman (80/100, inferred): The critic praises Granik’s restrained, observational approach in this gentle and intimate film that avoids easy dramatic targets or villains. She singles out the nuanced performance of newcomer Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie for praise while noting Ben Foster’s star presence as a slightly jarring fit. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/leave-no-trace-film-review-debra-granik-ben-foster-sundance/)
- **Collider**, Adam Chitwood (B): The film is a quiet, restrained father-daughter story that builds emotional impact through naturalism and strong performances, particularly McKenzie's breakthrough turn, though it can meander and remain enigmatic. [Read](https://collider.com/leave-no-trace-review-ben-foster/)
- **Eye for Film**, Owen Van Spall: Granik sympathetically interrogates the father's choices while exploring the daughter's coming-of-age, without making his decision morally clear-cut. The film balances character study with the challenges of minimal resources and modern life. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/reviews.php?film_id=32580)
- **HeyUGuys**, Jo-Ann Titmarsh: The film questions conventional notions of normality through its characters' off-grid life and encounters with society. It highlights the strong, humane performances of Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie in a quiet, focused story. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/leave-no-trace-review/)
- **Paste**, Dom Sinacola (8.3): Granik crafts a quietly stunning, humane portrait of a PTSD-stricken veteran and his daughter navigating off-grid life versus society, with exceptional, nuanced performances from Foster and McKenzie capturing the divide between mere survival and living. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/leave-no-trace/leave-no-trace)

## Details

- **Director:** Debra Granik
- **Director:** Debra Granik
- **Screenplay:** Anne Rosellini, Debra Granik
- **Cinematography:** Michael McDonough
- **Editor:** Jane Rizzo
- **Music:** Dickon Hinchliffe
- **Production design:** Chad Keith
- **Costume design:** Erin Aldridge Orr
- **Producer:** Anne Harrison, Anne Rosellini, Linda Reisman
- **Cast:** Thomasin McKenzie as Tom; Ben Foster as Will; Jeff Kober as Mr. Walters; Dale Dickey as Dale; Dana Millican as Jean; Alyssa McKay as Valerie; David Pittman as Blane; Bob Werfelman as Bob
- **Runtime:** 1h 49m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG
- **Release (the US):** 29 June 2018
- **Genres:** Drama
- **Box office:** $7 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_07ktacEGo8

## Where to watch in the US

- Hulu: add-on, hd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on
- Apple TV: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $4.99, hd
- Apple TV: rent $4.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $9.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy $9.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-16.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, SE, SG, TH, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Quiet Girl* (2022), Fi1m 84: Another child’s growing sense of belonging, carried by small changes in behaviour. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-quiet-girl.md)
- *Wendy and Lucy* (2008): Limited money and an animal companion make everyday decisions painfully difficult.
- *The Kid with a Bike* (2011): For a similarly unsentimental belief that care requires patience and practical effort.
- *Running on Empty* (1988): A family on the run faces a child’s need for a separate life.
- *The Spirit of the Beehive* (1973), Fi1m 87: A child’s watchful face carries adult troubles that nobody will properly explain. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/leave-no-trace