an english movie review

Never Mind the Bollocks Plot of ‘The English.’ This Show Is All About the Acting

By Alan Sepinwall

Alan Sepinwall

In the final days of 2014, my wife and I both came down with a nasty case of the flu. Unable to do much but alternately shiver and sweat in bed together, we attempted to distract ourselves with a miniseries I had heard good things about earlier in the year: The Honourable Woman . Written and directed by Hugo Blick, the thriller starred Maggie Gyllenhaal as an Anglo-Jewish businesswoman caught up in a web of intrigue that involved, among other things, a kidnapping, Israeli intelligence officers, and, I think, fiber optic cables? To be honest, while we loved Gyllenhaal’s performance, along with the sense of mounting tension and the visual style, we had a lot of trouble following the plot, frequently pausing episodes to ask each other exactly what was happening. We just couldn’t tell if this was a side effect of our temporary delirium, or a flaw in Blick’s storytelling.

The experience of watching The English while healthy, though, proved roughly the same as bingeing The Honourable Woman from a sick bed. Blunt is fantastic, as are many of her co-stars. The whole thing looks gorgeous, and it has some thoughtful variations on Blick’s pet theme about what happens when people from one culture get mixed up in the affairs of another. But despite a seemingly straightforward revenge plot, its storytelling frequently turns too complicated for its own good.

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As the menacing Mr. Watts (Ciaran Hinds) — the first of many threats standing between Cornelia and her final target — puts it, she is “Not quite the woman I expected.”

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But this turns out to be a Trojan Horse situation where the horse winds up being more useful than the soldiers hiding inside it. Blunt and Spencer are just so charismatic, both together and in the stretches of the season when they are separated, that the show’s loftier ambitions begin to feel besides the point. Blick and cinematographer Arnau Valls Colomer also place their two leads into a series of gorgeous compositions. (Sometimes, it’s literally painterly, like making Cornelia appear to be in a watercolor as she arrives at Watts’ place, or turning Cornelia and Eli’s discussion of constellations into something very much meant to evoke Van Gogh’s Starry Night .) The whole thing is great to look at.

It is also, though, a great headache to follow much of the time. While many of the supporting players are colorfully drawn and well played by the likes of Guerrero or (as a frightening bandit queen with a very specific grudge against indigenous people) Nichola McAuliffe, it becomes challenging in a hurry to keep track of everyone’s true motivations — or, at times, even how Cornelia or Eli get from one point of the story to the next. While many streaming shows suffer from not having enough story to fill the allotted episodes, The English often plays as if Blick wrote 12 episodes, then had to squeeze everything into half that, not always gracefully.

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Blick remains a fascinating filmmaker. I would just like to see him try to make something that doesn’t require a Carrie Mathison conspiracy board to fully comprehend.

All six episodes of The English premiere Nov. 11 on Amazon Prime Video. I’ve seen the entire season.

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• Amazon’s <i>The English</i> Is a Stunning Western That Reimagines America’s Founding Fantasy

Amazon’s The English Is a Stunning Western That Reimagines America’s Founding Fantasy

F or the Europeans who colonized it in the 19th century, the American West promised money, power, and freedom. Civilization was an afterthought, except within the Indigenous communities that would fall prey to the genocidal ideology of Manifest Destiny. The conflict between ruthless, lawless self-interest and the human instinct to form bonds of mutual care has always been central to the western genre . Yet it’s rare to see a variation on the theme achieve the depth and poignance of The English .

Written and directed by Hugo Blick, the creator of sophisticated, politically engaged British dramas like The Honorable Woman , this insightful Amazon-BBC co-production, which comes to Prime Video on Nov. 11, opens with a chance encounter. Upon arriving at a dusty hotel in the desolate Kansas of 1890, Lady Cornelia Locke ( Emily Blunt ) finds a badly beaten man, Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer), chained to a post. She’s an English aristocrat on a mission to kill the man who killed her son. He’s a newly retired Pawnee scout traveling to Nebraska to claim land he’s owed under the Homestead Act but—despite and because his ancestors made their homes in the same area—will likely have to take by force. She saves him, then he saves her. They’re strangers, but unlike other strangers who cross paths on these eerily empty plains, they’ve earned each other’s trust.

As they ride north, it slowly becomes apparent that they have more in common than a direction or their loneliness or an increasingly affectionate allyship. Known for the complexity of both his story lines and the moral quagmires he creates, Blick populates three decades’ worth of history surrounding the dual protagonists with often-ghoulish supporting characters who represent all sorts of wild, self-serving beliefs about destiny, loyalty, revenge, ethics, identity. The English makes the argument that these mismatched convictions, forged from the bloody battles fought between Native Americans and European invaders but also within each broadly defined group, converged to form a fantasy known as the United States of America.

TV’s greatest western, Deadwood , arrived at a similar conclusion, paraphrasing an adage attributed to Napoleon as “history is a lie agreed upon.” The story of Cornelia and Eli is a different kind of lie; it’s a fiction, and one whose sentimentality in later installments of the six-episode series barely undermines its beauty as a counter-narrative. Violent, macabre, and in many ways tragic, The English doesn’t deny what we know about what really happened when cultures collided on the frontier. Instead, it finds beauty in imagining how different people in the same situation, driven by purer motives and united by trust, might have built something better.

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The English review: an occasionally transcendent Western

“The English is a narratively messy but consistently engaging Western that is anchored by Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer's spellbinding performances.”

• Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer's lead performances
• Stunning Western imagery
• A memorable villain
• Convoluted plotting
• A messy finale
• Uneven pacing

Cornelia Locke believes in magic. For that reason, the British aristocrat, as played by Emily Blunt, feels uniquely modern in The English . The new limited series from Hugo Blick, which premieres in the U.S. today on Amazon Prime , opens with a flashforward monologue from Blunt about the power of fate. and its first episode concludes with Cornelia boasting about her star sign (she’s a Scorpio because, of course, she is) and sharing her belief in the magic of the universe. The English ’s premiere also makes it clear that Cornelia is a woman on a dangerous mission, a fact that adds a surprising edge to her more eccentric astrological beliefs.

The English is at its best when it makes Cornelia’s trust in magic feel justified. Like many great Westerns , there’s a deep spirituality running throughout The English that adds layers of predetermined weight and tragedy to its story. Across its six episodes, the series frequently makes its own life harder than it needs to be by presenting a fairly straightforward plot in an unnecessarily convoluted way. However, whenever it feels like The English has grown too unwieldy for its creative team, its two stars return to keep it from floating away.

The English tells, in many ways, a simple revenge story. Its first episode introduces Blunt’s Cornelia Locke and then reveals that she, like so many Western heroes before her, has come to the American West of the 1890s looking to right a wrong as violently as she can. We’re told that she’s looking to kill the man responsible for the death of her son, though Cornelia’s actual target is a mystery that The English holds on to for as long as possible. In order to get her revenge, Cornelia requires the help of a Pawnee scout named Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer).

When Cornelia and Eli first cross paths, the latter is just a few months into his retirement from the U.S. military, which he dutifully served for many years. The pair initially seem like they could not be any more different from each other, but the further into The English ’s story we get, the more we realize just how much they actually have in common. Despite their racial, social, and cultural differences, a bond quickly forms between the two that emerges as both the thematic backbone and emotional foundation of The English ’s admittedly messy story.

Fortunately, both Spencer and Blunt are performers who are more than capable of carrying a series like The English . Blunt, for her part, is given the chance to play one of her best roles in years here. The Quiet Place star brings authenticity to every side of Cornelia, whether it be her hard-edged ruthlessness, wholehearted belief in the supernatural, devastating sadness, or charming wit. It’s hard, in fact, to think of a project that has given Blunt more to do than The English , but the series is better off because it does.

Opposite her, Spencer brings a commanding presence to The English . The actor is spellbinding as Eli Whipp, a Pawnee man whose time in the military has instilled both a deep confidence and a profound sense of guilt within him. Spencer’s performance is one built on a series of micro-expressions and sideways glances that, when combined together, make Eli’s complicated past and conflicting inner emotions clear even beneath his ceaselessly calm, collected persona.

Outside of Spencer and Blunt, Rafe Spall gives an oddly entrancing performance as a character whose role in The English is probably best left unspoiled. Other recognizable actors like Toby Jones and Ciaran Hinds turn in reliably memorable performances in otherwise minor, thankless roles. Meanwhile, as its sole director, Hugo Blick fills The English with enough striking images and fittingly sun-soaked compositions to cement the series as one of the more artistically composed Westerns of recent memory .

Blick’s writing does not, however, match the consistency of his directing. The English ’s final two episodes, in particular, unfold in ways that often feel confusing, if not downright incoherent. After introducing one of the more awful TV villains of the year, Blick’s final script for The English fails to deliver the kind of resoundingly cathartic conclusion that the series deserves. That particular failure is partly due to Blick’s overall misuse of a superfluous character played by A Hidden Life star Valerie Pachner.

Despite these flaws, The English is a largely successful, occasionally excellent Western. Even in its worst moments, most of which arrive in its finale, the series still feels like a unique addition to a genre that Hollywood has essentially chosen to ignore in recent years. The show is also, even more importantly, a reminder of what kind of shots actors like Blunt and Spencer can take when they’re given the tools and space that they deserve. The English , to its credit, wisely chooses more often than not to stay out of its stars’ way, which is ultimately why it works as well as it does.

The English is now streaming on Prime Video. Digital Trends was given early access to all six of its episodes.

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The English Review: Saddle Up and Enjoy This Compelling Chase Western

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Two beleaguered souls meet as if by chance while braving the western frontier. “Can you shoot?” asks a Pawnee ex-cavalry scout, Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer). Lady Cornelia Locke (Emily Blunt)—aristocratic, English, fish out of water, disheveled—replies: “If I have to.”

Eli doesn’t miss a beat. “Oh, you’ll have to.”

Welcome to 1890 middle America, a violent landscape inspired by big dreams and filled with plenty of bloodshed. It’s the captivating setting of The English , the new Amazon Studios epic chase Western from award-winning writer and director Hugo Blick ( The Honourable Woman, Black Earth Rising, The Shadow Line ). The six-episode limited series, which hits Amazon Prime on November 11, also happens to be one of the most captivating Westerns to hit the small screen in some time—that’s code for “temporarily pause what you’re currently streaming, folks, and dive into this exceptional experience.”

The English follows Cornelia’s entry into the daunting and dangerous new landscape of the West. She’s determined to get revenge on an unruly gent she blames for the death of her son. Fate bumps her into Eli, a member of the Pawnee Nation by birth and a guy with his own dilemmas. It takes a lot to survive the treacherous souls occupying the West, after all. This series spares no details in showing how gruesome the late-1800s were, in fact. Suddenly joined together, Cornelia and Eli discover a shared history that they must defeat if either of them is to survive.

The stellar cast includes Rafe Spall ( The Salisbury Poisonings, Trying ) and Nichola McAuliffe ( Tomorrow Never Dies, Doctor Who ) in standout roles. Tom Hughes ( A Discovery of Witches, Victoria ), Stephen Rea ( The Shadow Line, The Honourable Woman ), Valerie Pachner ( A Hidden Life, The Kingsman ), Toby Jones ( Marvellous, Detectorists ), Ciaran Hinds ( The Terror, The Woman in Black ), Malcolm Storry ( The Princess Bride, Doc Martin ), Steve Wall ( Raised by Wolves, The Witcher ), Sule Rimi ( Black Earth Rising, Strike Back ), and Cristian Solimeno ( Avenue 5, Guilt ) are also on board.

When the series was being prepped for production, Blick noted: "The chance to make a Western with Emily Blunt and the cast is so delicious I’m still wondering if it’s one of those weird dreams we were all having during lockdown. If not, a thrilling, romantic, epic horse-opera is heading to your screen… and I couldn’t be more excited.”

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The Acting in The English

Blick has a good reason to be jazzed about Blunt ( A Quiet Place, Jungle Cruise, Mary Poppins Returns .) Always a joy to watch, the actress delivers a powerhouse performance as Cornelia, balancing the character’s vulnerability with her fierce determination to right a horrible wrong, even though she’s not fully equipped—at least in the beginning—to do so. An Emmy nod is in order for Blunt next year. The same can be said for Spencer ( Blindspot , Barkskins ), a rare on-screen presence—deep, grounded, often hypnotic. You don’t experience many actors like Spencer and together, he and Blunt give viewers two memorable characters worthy of our investment. What on-screen magic they create.

Cornelia arrives at a Kansas outpost circa 1890 carrying far too much—literally and figuratively. She’s got trunks galore and frothy gowns, and perhaps way too much cash for an English lady to be toting around out on the frontier. But avenge her son’s death she must. So onward she goes even though a gaggle of bad fellas have anticipated her arrival.

Eli, Pawnee-born and now a defunct U.S. Army calvary, is a lone wolf. Natives raise their eyebrows over his Calvary involvement. White folks discriminate based on his skin color. Eli’s wish? To grab a couple of acres somewhere safe.

But Cornelia and Eli’s futures are connected. And so are their pasts. “You and I have met,” Cornelia tells Eli. “It was in the stars.”

The first three episodes of The English do well in creating the vast landscape and wicked danger of the Western world. The cinematography here is wonderful eye-candy—the series was shot overseas so Spain fills in for the Wild West.

Mostly, viewers will be intrigued by some of the characters in this Western territory. Anybody that knows much about the period realizes that getting hanged or shot over a simple misunderstanding isn’t that far-fetched. More gruesome, perhaps, is the havoc white men inflicted, particularly on entire Native communities. Spall’s David Melmont comes to mind. His character is, literally, the heart of darkness. Still, it gives Spall plenty of scene-stealing opportunities and his bone-chilling performance in The English is one for the books.

McAuliffe’s Black Eyed Mog, a hardened frontier woman, appears less frequently, but she’s bound to give you the spooks. Collectively, Blick and the creative team have introduced a fascinating array of characters and the actors embodying them are pitch-perfect. But what about the actual story of The English ? Does it get the job done?

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Is The English Worth the Investment?

The short answer is: Yes. Episode 4 takes place 15 years before the events we’re initially introduced to in Episode 1, and it does a fine job of connecting the creative dots. This backstory helps us understand what’s really at stake for Cornelia. And Eli, for that matter. It also introduces an evil force that will be hard to reckon with.

Artistically and thematically, I couldn’t get enough of The English. I wanted more. In that respect, Blick did his job. Core themes of identity and revenge interweave themselves in a fascinating parable that also touches on race, power, and love. The middle episodes tend to droop just a bit. Like bullets ricocheting off wooden porches or barns, you wonder where things may land and there’s a fear—because the front half was so good—that the story may have lost its footing. Like roping cattle, though, Blick steers things back in the right direction. This comes to light during an investigation by the local sheriff Robert Marshall (played by Rea) and the young widow, Martha Myers (Valerie Pachner) into a series of bizarre and macabre unsolved murders. Here we realize the full extent of Cornelia and Eli's intertwined history. The passion found in the latter half of Episodes 5 and 6 are, by far, something of the best things we’ve experienced in a Western.

Much is at stake as Cornelia and Eli’s precarious, often violent, journey unravels, and in the hands of another writer, producer, and director—Blick is all three—I sense we’d experience a much choppier ride overall. There’s depth and tenderness, too, when we learn more about Cornelia’s emotional plight. Her bond with Eli is visceral as past traumas come to light. These truly are expectational characters.

The English is one of the most passionate Western tales to hit the screen. Blunt and Spencer are cinematic gold. The cast shines. The acting is powerful, effective, and, to a degree, a bit soul-stirring. Aside from its midway dip—easily forgivable—Blick’s big dive into Westerns is one hell of a—to coin his term—"horse opera."

The English hits Amazon Prime Video on November 11.

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Essays on Movie Review

Once in a while, you’ll be asked to do a movie review essay. This task is a great training tool for enhancing critical thinking skills. Essays on movie review aim at presenting a film from the most important scenes, special effects, to exciting moments and may be accompanied by criticism. From an advertising perspective, such a paper is aimed at convincing readers to watch the movie in question. Your writing should let a reader draw a conclusion, i.e, whether the film is worth their time or if they should try something else. Most importantly, your opinion must be independent and accurate. But how can you create a perfect introduction if you don’t have the experience in this type of writing? Relax. A good online writer can do it for you. If you have an idea but need some guidance, simply ask for a professional outline or use evaluation essay examples for students for more insights.

Hook Examples for Movie Review Essays

"a cinematic masterpiece" hook.

"Prepare to be captivated by the sheer brilliance of this cinematic masterpiece. Explore how every frame, performance, and detail contributes to a visual and emotional spectacle."

"Beyond the Screen: Themes and Messages" Hook

"This film transcends entertainment, offering profound themes and powerful messages. Dive into the underlying ideas and social commentary that make it a thought-provoking experience."

"The Journey of Character Development" Hook

"Follow the compelling journey of characters who evolve throughout the film. Analyze their growth, conflicts, and relationships, making this movie a character-driven narrative."

"Visual Delights: Cinematography and Special Effects" Hook

"Be prepared to be visually stunned by the breathtaking cinematography and cutting-edge special effects. Explore how these elements enhance the storytelling and immerse the audience."

"Unforgettable Performances" Hook

"The cast delivers unforgettable performances that breathe life into the characters. Discuss standout acting moments, character dynamics, and the emotional impact of their roles."

"The Soundtrack: Music That Moves" Hook

"The film's soundtrack is more than just music; it's an integral part of the storytelling. Explore how the score enhances emotions, sets the tone, and complements the visuals."

"Cinematic Analysis: Directing and Editing" Hook

"Delve into the meticulous craftsmanship of the director and editor. Analyze their choices in pacing, sequencing, and storytelling techniques that make this film a cinematic triumph."

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The Best Movies of 2021, Ranked by Tomatometer

Rotten Tomatoes is collecting every new Certified Fresh movie into one list, creating our guide to the best movies of 2021. Among them you’ll find blockbusters ( Shang-Chi ), documentaries ( Lily Topples the World ), awards contenders ( The Green Knight ), the cutting-edge in horror ( The Night House ).

Movies achieve Certified Fresh status by maintaining a steady Tomatometer score of at least 75% after a minimum number of reviews, with that number depending on how the movie was released. For wide releases (of which there were significantly fewer this year, as you can imagine), the minimum number of reviews is 80. For streaming or limited release movies, that number is 40. And finally, it’s 20 reviews for movies premiering on television. Across all release types, each movie needs at least five of its reviews to be published by Top Critics . Once a movie goes Certified Fresh, the only way to lose it is by dropping below 70%.

After the world-altering year of 2020, critics and audiences and studio heads alike are navigating 2021 with its evolving distribution models and industry standards. So far, streaming continues to deliver the goods straight to the people while theaters have now reopened in earnest, and are delivering some big hits ( Free Guy ,  Black Widow , and yes, Shang-Chi ).

Read on for the best movies of 2021, ranked by Tomatometer! (And check out the current best movies of 2022 , or explore other years with our guides on 2020 , 2019 , and 2018 .) — Alex Vo

My Salinger Year (2020) 72%

Palmer (2021) 72%

Spoor (2017) 74%

Blue Bayou (2021) 75%

Cruella (2021) 75%

Percy Vs Goliath (2020) 76%

Pixie (2020) 76%

American Underdog (2021) 76%

The World to Come (2020) 75%

The Mauritanian (2021) 75%

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) 76%

Son (2021) 77%

WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn (2021) 76%

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021) 78%

Stowaway (2021) 76%

Malignant (2021) 77%

Shadow in the Cloud (2020) 77%

Ma Belle, My Beauty (2021) 76%

Surge (2020) 79%

Bad Trip (2021) 79%

The Water Man (2020) 77%

I Care a Lot (2020) 79%

Cliff Walkers (2021) 81%

Small Engine Repair (2021) 79%

The Night (2020) 80%

To All the Boys: Always and Forever (2021) 78%

In The Earth (2021) 80%

Black Widow (2021) 79%

Safety (2020) 78%

Bloodthirsty (2020) 80%

Fried Barry (2020) 80%

The Spine of Night (2021) 80%

Knocking (2021) 80%

Violet (2021) 82%

The Columnist (2020) 79%

Everybody's Talking About Jamie (2021) 82%

Summer of 85 (2020) 81%

Ron's Gone Wrong (2021) 81%

Concrete Cowboy (2020) 80%

Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021) 80%

Free Guy (2021) 80%

The Wanting Mare (2020) 81%

Caveat (2020) 82%

The Most Beautiful Boy in the World (2021) 78%

Copshop (2021) 82%

Das Vorspiel (2020) 82%

The Feast (2021) 80%

Dementer (2019) 83%

Night Raiders (2021) 83%

Boys from County Hell (2020) 83%

Fear Street Part One: 1994 (2021) 84%

Spencer (2021) 83%

No Time to Die (2021) 83%

Dune (2021) 83%

Akilla's Escape (2020) 80%

Port Authority (2019) 84%

Misha and the Wolves (2021) 86%

Homeroom (2021) 85%

The Power (2021) 84%

Gaia (2021) 84%

Nobody (2021) 83%

The Mad Women's Ball (2021) 86%

Come True (2020) 84%

Benedetta (2021) 84%

The Courier (2020) 85%

The Last Duel (2021) 85%

Jakob's Wife (2021) 85%

Werewolves Within (2021) 86%

Belfast (2021) 86%

The Djinn (2021) 86%

Vivo (2021) 86%

Bergman Island (2021) 84%

The Night House (2020) 88%

The Card Counter (2020) 87%

Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021) 87%

Us Kids (2020) 87%

Keep an Eye Out (2018) 86%

Vicious Fun (2020) 88%

Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal (2021) 88%

Preparations to be Together for an Unknown Period of Time (2021) 88%

Oxygen (2021) 89%

Violation (2020) 88%

Fear Street Part Two: 1978 (2021) 87%

The Harder They Fall (2021) 88%

Zola (2020) 88%

Anne at 13,000 ft (2019) 89%

Wife of a Spy (2020) 89%

Memoria (2021) 90%

Dream Horse (2020) 88%

Undine (2020) 89%

Nine Days (2020) 90%

Censor (2021) 89%

Titane (2021) 90%

The Green Knight (2021) 89%

High Ground (2020) 90%

The Stylist (2020) 90%

Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time (2021) 93%

The Queen of Black Magic (2020) 90%

I Blame Society (2020) 90%

Beginning (2020) 90%

The Outside Story (2020) 88%

Beans (2020) 91%

V/H/S/94 (2021) 90%

Ailey (2021) 90%

The Dry (2021) 90%

The Vigil (2019) 90%

Red Rocket (2021) 90%

Passing (2021) 90%

King Richard (2021) 90%

Licorice Pizza (2021) 90%

The Suicide Squad (2021) 90%

Promising Young Woman (2020) 90%

Les Nôtres (2020) 90%

The Oak Room (2020) 91%

True Mothers (2020) 91%

The Man Who Sold His Skin (2020) 88%

Raging Fire (2021) 91%

Wild Indian (2021) 90%

Little Fish (2020) 91%

Moffie (2019) 91%

Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn (2021) 91%

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain (2021) 91%

Together Together (2021) 91%

Encanto (2021) 91%

Luca (2021) 91%

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) 91%

A Quiet Place Part II (2021) 91%

West Side Story (2021) 92%

Days of the Bagnold Summer (2019) 93%

Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation (2020) 91%

Coming Home in the Dark (2021) 92%

Mandibles (2020) 91%

Holler (2020) 92%

The Novice (2021) 93%

Swan Song (2021) 92%

PG: Psycho Goreman (2020) 92%

The Souvenir Part II (2021) 90%

The Humans (2021) 92%

No Sudden Move (2021) 92%

The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) 92%

Wildland (2020) 93%

My Octopus Teacher (2020) 93%

Baby Done (2020) 93%

The Capote Tapes (2020) 93%

Spring Blossom (2020) 93%

The Alpinist (2021) 93%

Pray Away (2020) 92%

Martyrs Lane (2021) 90%

Lily Topples The World (2021) 91%

Only the Animals (2019) 93%

All Light, Everywhere (2021) 94%

Lucky (2020) 93%

Final Account (2020) 93%

Some Kind of Heaven (2020) 93%

The Killing of Two Lovers (2020) 93%

Val (2021) 93%

Limbo (2020) 93%

Saint Maud (2019) 92%

Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) 93%

The Power of the Dog (2021) 94%

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) 93%

Never Gonna Snow Again (2020) 93%

Old Henry (2021) 95%

About Endlessness (2019) 94%

C'mon C'mon (2021) 94%

CODA (2021) 94%

In the Heights (2021) 94%

The Delivered (2019) 95%

Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President (2020) 95%

Escape From Mogadishu (2021) 96%

El Planeta (2021) 95%

The Real Charlie Chaplin (2021) 95%

Wildfire (2020) 95%

Lapsis (2020) 95%

Rose Plays Julie (2019) 95%

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (2021) 95%

Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It (2021) 96%

Mass (2021) 95%

The Human Factor (2019) 96%

The Disciple (2020) 96%

Plan B (2021) 96%

In the Same Breath (2021) 96%

Test Pattern (2021) 96%

Stray (2021) 96%

Slaxx (2020) 96%

The Amusement Park (1973) 96%

The Rescue (2021) 96%

Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry (2021) 96%

Julia (2021) 96%

Riders of Justice (2020) 96%

I'm Your Man (2021) 96%

The Sparks Brothers (2021) 95%

Shiva Baby (2020) 96%

Parallel Mothers (2021) 96%

The Worst Person in the World (2021) 96%

Pig (2021) 97%

The Reason I Jump (2020) 97%

The Boy Behind the Door (2020) 97%

The Human Voice (2020) 97%

The Lost Leonardo (2021) 98%

I Carry You With Me (2020) 97%

The Truffle Hunters (2020) 97%

Petite Maman (2021) 97%

The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021) 97%

Drive My Car (2021) 97%

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) 96%

Liyana (2017) 98%

Assassins (2020) 98%

Procession (2021) 98%

7 Prisoners (2021) 98%

Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2020) 98%

Hope (2019) 98%

Days (2020)

My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To (2020) 98%

Sweat (2020) 96%

There Is No Evil (2020) 98%

Attica (2021) 100%

Apples (2020) 93%

Becoming Cousteau (2021) 98%

The Paper Tigers (2020) 98%

Gunda (2020) 98%

Two of Us (2019) 98%

MLK/FBI (2020) 98%

The Velvet Underground (2021) 98%

Flee (2021) 98%

The Father (2020) 98%

Minari (2020) 98%

Boiling Point (2021) 99%

Identifying Features (2020) 97%

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021) 99%

Acasa, My Home (2020) 100%

Changing the Game (2019) 100%

The Woman Who Ran (2019) 98%

Paper Spiders (2021) 100%

Mayor (2020) 100%

Azor (2021) 98%

Sabaya (2021) 100%

Luzzu (2021) 98%

Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror (2021) 100%

Slalom (2020) 100%

Hive (2021) 100%

Quo vadis, aida (2020) 100%.

76 Days (2020) 100%

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• Top Rated english Movies of 2021
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• Best English Movies

Top Rated english Movies of 2021 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

Best English Movies: With time, the Hollywood industry has been growing massively strong with a plenty of high budget movies. Along with that, the quality of content has also improved; In this segment, we give the most recent updates on, trailer, cast information, box office collections, related clips and pictures of movies that have hit the screens. We update the spaces as soon a new film releases. This curated list is a one-stop destination for all movie lovers with all the information related with top of the line Hollywood films of 2021.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

16 dec 2021 | 2 hrs 28 mins.

Tom Holland , Benedict Cumberbatch , Zendaya , Marisa Tomei , Jon Favreau , Alfred Molina , Jamie Foxx , Willem Dafoe

Synopsis: Undoubtedly the most crowd-pleasing Spider-Man film of all time, 'No Way Home' is a celebration of your friendly neighbourhood Avenger.

No Time To Die

30 sep 2021 | 2 hrs 43 mins.

Daniel Craig , Christoph Waltz , Rami Malek , Ana de Armas , David Dencik , Billy Magnussen , Jeffrey Wright , Ralph Fiennes , Lea Seydoux , Naomie Harris

Synopsis: No Time To Die is best summed up as the perfect Bond experience. Don't miss this one in the big screens.

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings

03 sep 2021 | 2 hrs 12 mins.

Awkwafina , Michelle Yeoh , Tony Chiu Wai Leung

Synopsis: Shang-chi has a certain spiritual calmness to it amidst the gorgeously choreographed action sequences. Never has a Marvel movie felt this unique in its execution and treatment. If you are looking for a film to end your big screen abstinence, this is the one.

23 Apr 2021 | 1 hr 37 mins

Olivia Colman , Anthony Hopkins , Mark Gatiss , Olivia Williams , Imogen Poots , Rufus Sewell , Ayesha Dharker

Synopsis: Zellman’s ‘The Father’ is a lot more than a film that merely exists to tell you a story. This is an experience and a journey into an unstable world that is just as real, as it is make-believe.

22 Oct 2021 | 2 hrs 35 mins

Timothee Chalamet , Oscar Isaac , Zendaya , Rebecca Ferguson , Josh Brolin , Dave Bautista , Jason Momoa

Synopsis: ​​Big screen entertainment is back with a bang. Dune is the reason why we fall in love with the movies. This sci-fi extravaganza with deep human connect, deserves an IMAX viewing.

A Quiet Place: Part II

08 oct 2021 | 2 hrs 2 mins.

Cillian Murphy , John Krasinski , Emily Blunt , Noah Jupe , Djimon Hounsou , Millicent Simmonds , Wayne Duvall

Synopsis: All in all, ‘A Quiet Place Part II’ is quite the nail-biting, twisted and terrific thriller that will keep you on the edge of the seat as much as the first one.

Palm Springs

24 sep 2021 | 1 hr 30 mins.

Andy Samberg , Cristin Milioti , J.K. Simmons , Meredith Hagner , Camila Mendes , Tyler Hoechlin , Peter Gallagher

Synopsis: A thought-provoking, genre-bending, and unconventional romantic comedy.

The Suicide Squad

23 sep 2021 | 2 hrs 14 mins.

Margot Robbie , Idris Elba , Joel Kinnaman , David Dastmalchian , Viola Davis , Michael Rooker , Nathan Fillion , Alice Braga , Taika Waititi , Peter Capaldi , john cena

Synopsis: Combining whimsical fantasy, ample heart, and wit, along with bloody yet creative gore, James Gunn proves yet again why he’s amongst the best comic book storytellers working today.

17 Sep 2021 | 1 hr 55 mins

Jodie Comer , Ryan Reynolds , Taika Waititi , Utkarsh Ambudkar , Lil Rel Howery

Synopsis: Filled with satisfying gags and dazzling action mixed with a dash of warmth, ‘Free Guy’ is a highly enjoyable movie that makes the most of its cast and leading star.

28 May 2021 | 2 hrs 10 mins

Emma Stone , Emma Thompson , Paul Walter Hauser , Joel Fry , Emily Beecham

Synopsis: Taking off from the characters that remind you of ‘Devil Wears Prada’ and ‘Harley Quinn,’ this origin story of Disney’s enigmatic supervillain is designed to entertain, even if you’re not a fan or a follower of this famed franchise.

16 Apr 2021 | 1 hr 55 mins

Steven Yeun , Yeri Han , Alan S. Kim , Noel Cho , Darryl Cox

Synopsis: Lee Isaac Chung’s simple little film about a family finding its place in the world is rooted in reality and Korean culture. It smells of earth and rain and our sense of belonging to the land that feeds our stomachs.

02 Apr 2021 | 1 hr 47 mins

Frances McDormand , Linda May , David Strathairn

Synopsis: 'Nomadland' rebuilds our faith in humanity and reminds us that we are never really alone.

Judas And The Black Messiah

05 mar 2021 | 2 hrs 6 mins.

Daniel Kaluuya , Lakeith Stanfield , Jesse Plemons , Ashton Sanders , Lil Rel Howery

Synopsis: ‘Pitched as a biographical, ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ is almost like a hagiography of its protagonist Fred Hampton (played superbly by Daniel Kaluuya). But the way co-writer and director Shaka King maneuvers through one of American history’s darkest chapters, is not only convincing and fascinating but also hugely riveting in its approach.

Raya And The Last Dragon

05 mar 2021 | 1 hr 45 mins.

Awkwafina , Cassie Steele , Alan Tudyk , Gemma Chan , Kelly Marie Tran , Ross Butler , Daniel Dae Kim , Sandra Oh , Benedict Wong , Patti Harrison , Lucille Soong

Synopsis: It is a complete package with something for everyone. It’s a spirited fantasy adventure for the children, an inspiring young warrior princess, who defines women empowerment and a universally binding emotional fabric.

12 Feb 2021 | 2 hrs 4 mins

Jason Segel , Isabella Kai , Violet McGraw , Casey Affleck , Dakota Johnson

West Side Story

10 dec 2021 | 2 hrs 3 mins.

Ansel Elgort , Rita Moreno , Corey Stoll , Maddie Ziegler , Brian dArcy James , Talia Ryder , Jamila Velazquez

Synopsis: Spielberg’s adaptation works for its artistic mastery, spectacular choreography and the relevant dialogue on racial equality. However, it fails to weave its magic as a story on forbidden love that it essentially is.

Clifford The Big Red Dog

03 dec 2021 | 1 hr 37 mins.

Darby Camp , Jack Whitehall , John Cleese , Sienna Guillory , Tony Hale , David Alan Grier , Horatio Sanz , Russell Peters

House Of Gucci

26 nov 2021 | 2 hrs 37 mins.

Lady Gaga , Adam Driver , Al Pacino , Jeremy Irons , Jack Huston

Synopsis: Beyond the fashion, dynasty politics and power, the film is essentially a story of an outsider.

19 Nov 2021 | 1 hr 57 mins

Kristen Stewart , Timothy Spall , Jack Farthing , Sean Harris , Richard Sammel , Elizabeth Berrington

Synopsis: The film says a lot without saying much and that is its defining factor.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

19 nov 2021 | 2 hrs 4 mins.

Carrie Coon , Mckenna Grace , Paul Rudd , Annie Potts , Finn Wolfhard

Synopsis: A gamble that pays dividends for longstanding franchise fans but could alienate new audiences in the bargain.

05 Nov 2021 | 2 hrs 37 mins

Angelina Jolie , Richard Madden , Salma Hayek , Kumail Nanjiani , Gemma Chan

Synopsis: With Eternals, Academy Award winning director of Nomadland, Chloé Zhao sinks her teeth into the heart of American pop culture — the MCU.

Halloween Kills

29 oct 2021 | 1 hr 45 mins.

Anthony Michael Hall , Judy Greer , Jamie Lee Curtis , Kyle Richards , Andi Matichak

Synopsis: ‘Halloween Kills’ advances the plot and lays the groundwork for the next chapter of the trilogy. And if you enjoyed the first instalment and aren't afraid of gore and blood, you'll enjoy this one too, especially for some great Michael Myers’ killings.

Ron's Gone Wrong

29 oct 2021 | 1 hr 46 mins.

Zach Galifianakis , Ed Helms , Olivia Colman , Rob Delaney , Justice Smith , Ricardo Hurtado

Synopsis: Delivered by an entertaining voice cast, ‘Ron’s Gone Wrong’ doesn't have a unique premise but its message is undeniably relevant.

The Last Duel

22 oct 2021 | 2 hrs 32 mins.

Jodie Comer , Matt Damon , Ben Affleck , Adam Driver , Harriet Walter , Nathaniel Parker , Sam Hazeldine

Synopsis: This historical drama has excessive violence and some gore too, but in the heart is about a woman unknowingly becoming the flagbearer for a new movement for people speaking against sexual assault.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

14 oct 2021 | 1 hr 30 mins.

Tom Hardy , Michelle Williams , Woody Harrelson , Naomie Harris , Stephen Graham , Reid Scott

Synopsis: Meets the basic requirements for comic-book movie enjoyment with improved CGI, great-looking action and yet another convincing performance by Tom Hardy.

Don't Breathe 2

17 sep 2021 | 1 hr 38 mins.

Stephen Lang , Rocci Williams , Brendan Sexton III , Fiona O Shaughnessy

Synopsis: Whether this sequel is better than the original is still debatable but there is no doubt that ‘Don’t Breathe 2’ has the urgency, suspense and thrill to make us hold our breath for the next instalment.

The Green Knight

27 aug 2021 | 2 hrs 10 mins.

Dev Patel , Alicia Vikander , Joel Edgerton , Sarita Choudhury , Ralph Ineson , Sean Harris

Synopsis: This slow-burn fantasy is exceptionally gorgeous with memorable imagery but heavy on cryptic symbolism.

Black Widow

09 jul 2021 | 1 hr 10 mins.

Scarlett Johansson , Florence Pugh , David Harbour , Rachel Weisz , O.T. Fagbenle , Ray Winstone , William Hurt , Andrew Byron

Synopsis: Black Widow justifies its place in the MCU with an entertaining story that has drama, action and comedy, making it a Hollywood potboiler worth your time, all the way to the post end-credits scene that cannot be missed.

Godzilla Vs. Kong

24 mar 2021 | 1 hr 53 mins.

Alexander Skarsgard , Millie Bobby Brown , Rebecca Hall , Eiza Gonzalez

Synopsis: Delivers on its promise as a massive monster clash and adrenaline-driven movie lovers will be visually rewarded for catching this spectacle in cinemas.

The Courier

19 mar 2021 | 1 hr 51 mins.

Benedict Cumberbatch , Angus Wright , Anton Lesser , Merab Ninidze , Vladimir Chuprikov

Synopsis: Even though espionage buffs may find some of the genre tropes familiar, ‘The Courier’ is an enjoyable old-fashioned thriller that does not need to exaggerate to impress.

Shraddha Kapoor , Rajkummar Rao , Pankaj Tripathi , Abhishek Banerjee , Aparshakti Khurana , Tamannaah Bhatia

Akshay Kumar , Ammy Virk , Taapsee Pannu , Vaani Kapoor , fardeen khan , Pragya Jaiswal , Aditya Seal , Madhumalti Kapoor , Freddy Daruwala

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‘Jackpot!’ Review: Dystopia, Hollywood Style

Awkwafina and John Cena star in a fitfully funny near-future comedy with strangely mixed metaphors.

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By Alissa Wilkinson

In the near future, things are not very different. People wear the same clothes as we do, ride the bus to work, call each other on cellphones and stay in terrible Airbnbs run by hosts from hell. In the near future, everything is still expensive. And if you want to be an actor, you move to Los Angeles.

Yet a few things have changed. Following the Great Depression of 2026, the government of California — as desperate for money as its people are — instituted a Grand Lottery in which one citizen of Los Angeles wins some huge sum. Sounds great, but unfortunately whoever wrote the law seems to be a fan of “The Purge.” Until sundown on Lottery Day, anyone who successfully kills the lottery winner (all weapons allowed except guns) gets the winnings. After sundown, murder becomes illegal again, until next year.

Somehow the Michigander Katie (Awkwafina) missed this news, and thus had the bad fortune to arrive in Los Angeles to pursue her dream of acting the night before Lottery Day 2030. She, of course, accidentally wins the $3.6 billion jackpot while at an audition. Suddenly, everyone is after her, and the only person she can maybe trust is a “freelance protector” named Noel (John Cena, who may be Hollywood’s most dependably funny actor). He’ll get her safely to sundown. Probably.

This is quite the dystopian view of the future, though other movies have proposed that within a few decades, we’ll resort to state-sanctioned violence to secure our daily bread. In the world of Boots Riley’s comedy “ Sorry to Bother You ,” for instance, game show contestants beat themselves to a pulp to collect money and pay off their debts. Or, of course, there’s “ Squid Game .”

More dystopian, though, is the sense that in this version of the near future, nobody is capable of relating to anyone except through money. Only hours into her new L.A. life, Katie tells off a man (Adam Ray) who’s complaining loudly about his young daughter’s failure to get acting jobs that will line his pockets — as his daughter sits right next to him. Moments later, Katie meets a kind older woman (Becky Ann Baker) who wishes her luck, and then, quietly, swipes Katie’s watch.

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Tv/streaming, collections, chaz's journal, great movies, contributors, my penguin friend.

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There’s something radical about the old-fashioned approach of “My Penguin Friend.” It’s an earnest, crowd-pleasing family film – nothing snarky or self-referential, no on-the-nose needle drops - just a sweet, beautifully made movie that earns the emotion it’ll surely draw from its viewers. 

Director David Schurmann tells the true story of the unlikely bond between a penguin and a fisherman, which lasted over several years and thousands of miles. The penguin would migrate every June from Patagonia at the tip of Argentina, along the Eastern edge of South America, to Ilha Grande off the coast of Brazil. It’s like “Same Time, Next Year,” with a flightless bird in place of Ellen Burstyn . 

In the script from Kristen Lazarian and Paulina Lagudi Ulrich, the fisherman, João, has suffered a devastating loss at the beginning of the film, making the surprising arrival of the penguin that much more poignant.  Jean Reno gives a vulnerable, moving performance as João, a simple man broken by tragedy transformed by the thrill of this unexpected connection. He shows great range here, from sorrow to joy to an impish sense of playfulness, and his openness is captivating. And as João’s wife, Maria, Oscar nominee Adriana Barraza is a sturdy anchor, a steady source of calm no matter the highs and lows. She’s also not too thrilled at first about having a penguin pitter-patter around the kitchen of her modest, beachfront bungalow. 

But DinDim is too darn cute. That’s the name a little girl in the village gives the penguin, and it sticks. And part of what’s amazing about the film is that it features actual penguins rather than animatronics or CGI creations. The press notes inform us that we see live penguins 80 percent of the time, with some wire-controlled dummies and digital effects. The result is a hugely compelling feeling of intimacy and authenticity. Working with the great cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle , Danny Boyle ’s frequent collaborator, Schurmann shoots much of the film at low angles and from the penguin's point of view. This gives the movie an exuberant feeling of childlike wonder, especially as DinDim gets into mischief. 

That’s a great example of how “My Penguin Friend” works on multiple levels for various viewers. Kids will love the silly energy while adults can appreciate the craftsmanship behind the chaos. From vibrant sunsets to endless ocean vistas to quiet moments in the family’s kitchen, Dod Mantle repeatedly offers wondrous images that buoy the film along.  

This is why it’s such a letdown whenever “My Penguin Friend” cuts away from this heartwarming story and returns to Patagonia to see what the researchers there are doing.  Alexia Moyano , Nicolás Francella , and Rocio Hernández play the scientists who study these cuddly creatures, taking notes on their migration patterns as well as their activities in Argentina. DinDim stands out for his friendliness and curiosity, although Francella’s one-note character is a consistent naysayer who doesn’t think this particular penguin is anything special.  

Once a viral video emerges of DinDim being adorable with João and his fellow villagers, and it dawns on the researchers that he might be one of theirs, the back-and-forth of tracking him down becomes especially tedious. Given the international nature of the cast and the production, everyone speaks English to make things easier. Still, the dialogue and delivery in the Patagonia sections feel dull and stilted, particularly in contrast with the warmth of the rest of the movie. 

Still, the bond between João and DinDim ultimately prevails. A climactic rescue toward the end that mirrors the tragedy at the film’s start might feel like a bit too obvious of a parallel, but it provides a necessary moment of redemption and closure. The camerawork is so immersive here and Reno’s moist-eyed tenderness is so touching that it’s hard not to feel swept up in the emotion. You might not think you need “My Penguin Friend” in your life, either, but you do. 

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Film credits.

My Penguin Friend (2024)

Jean Reno as Joao

Adriana Barraza as Maria

Nicolás Francella as Carlos

Alexia Moyano as Adriana

Rocío Hernández as Stephanie

• David Schurmann
• Kristen Lazarian
• Paulina Lagudi

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When Growing Up Happens in a Single Conversation

The Sundance gem Good One is a deceptively simple, and unusually precise, coming-of-age film.

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Coming-of-age movies tend to follow the same patterns. Over the course of a school year (or a summer), a young person assesses their relationships. There are breakups, makeups, and a climactic rite of passage. The hormonal intensity of adolescence feels epic, like a saga of triumphs and failures en route to maturity.

Good One , a deceptively simple Sundance gem just released in theaters, depicts all of that emotional chaos in just three days, in the middle of the woods. Its protagonist, 17-year-old Sam (played with remarkable precision by newcomer Lily Collias), is about to head to college, but she’s not stressing out about her next chapter. Instead, she’s going on a backpacking trip with her father, the anxious and self-absorbed Chris (James Le Gros), and his old friend Matt (Danny McCarthy), a recent divorcé who at the last minute fails to persuade his teenage son to tag along on the excursion as planned. An experienced camper, Sam takes the change in stride, spending much of the weekend—and the movie’s 90-minute run time—observing and humoring the middle-aged men. She’s the titular well-behaved child; she may chafe at the way Chris and Matt bicker and banter, but she’s proud of being so helpful and understanding.

And then the film pivots, so slightly that it’s almost imperceptible at first. At the end of a long day, sitting by a campfire after Chris has had one too many drinks and gone to bed, Matt casually invites Sam into his tent, a remark that could be considered a joke. Yet it becomes an inflection point for Sam—a moment during which she starts to register the way her identity as a young, attentive woman affects how she’s seen. The film’s writer-director, India Donaldson, told me she never thought of Good One , her first feature, as a typical coming-of-age project; it was more an opportunity to capture a feeling she experienced often in her teenage years and early 20s. She spent her summers backpacking with her father and grew up being labeled the “good one” in her blended family, careful to ensure peace and offer emotional support at every turn. “I was … desperately wanting to be taken seriously,” she explained. “And then the feeling when you think you’re in conversation with … someone in your life you really think is listening to you and interested in you and understanding you, and then they say or do something that just slices through all of the things … Disappointment is the feeling. And shame.”

Read: 17 indie films you must see in 2024

The result is a film that explores the emotional reality of establishing boundaries, a crucial step in the journey to adulthood, with unusual specificity. Scenes may echo coming-of-age tropes—Sam encounters hikers closer to her age, deals with her period, and argues lightly with her father—but much of the story follows Sam trying to understand what happened by the campfire. “I knew that it was not the type of movie where these people would be able to confront anything head on,” Donaldson told me. Instead, Good One shows that growing up can begin with a single conversation that illuminates, for someone like Sam, how far she has left to go.

As a pivotal but unshowy sequence, the campfire scene required fine-tuning at every stage. While writing the script, Donaldson worked toward building a moment that felt definitively odd, but never sinister or physically aggressive. While filming the scene over two nights, Donaldson asked McCarthy to vary where he looked when he spoke; the direction of his gaze changed how she as a viewer felt about Matt. And in the editing bay, she and the film’s editor examined their responses to each shot, playing with how long the camera lingered on each character’s expressions. “We definitely agonized over many details,” Donaldson explained. Frame by frame, she said, “it just came down to … What feels like the deepest gut punch? ”

That meticulousness only works because the film studies Sam’s 50-something companions through the many, many conversations they have as they trek through the woods. Matt makes the kind of small talk that signals his fear of being alone with his thoughts. Chris seems unable to deliver anything in a non-passive-aggressive tone. Good One is immersive, blending natural sounds—flowing water, chirping birds, buzzing critters—into the dialogue until the men’s exchanges become a part of the soundscape to Sam, part of the “surface,” as Donaldson put it, of her experience. Both of them treat her like a kid and an adult; Chris refuses to let her drive one minute, then needs her to smooth out a problem at work for him the next, while Matt alternates between sarcastically marveling at her “wisdom” and asking for her honest opinions. Sam’s few, bemused interjections and quiet actions convey the gendered essence of her role: She cooks dinner, cleans up their campsites, and helps Matt set up his tent without being asked. The film suggests that this dynamic doesn’t bother her; she’s been conditioned to find all of this normal.

Read: Why women never stop coming of age

The men’s silence in the final act, then, speaks volumes. Matt never talks again in the film after the campfire scene; Donaldson said she wanted it to seem as if, in his embarrassment, he “kind of ejects himself from the story.” Chris, meanwhile, says little but begs Sam to try to “just have a nice day” after she confides in him—a conversation Donaldson said feels more significant than the one that set off Sam’s alarm bells, because Sam finally grasps that these adults around her don’t have answers or the courage to provide them. They’ve disappointed her, yet they’re also more lost than she’d realized. “I didn’t want the audience to loathe or despise them too much,” Donaldson said, adding that Le Gros helped cut some of the additional dialogue she had initially written for Chris. “It was clear how little needed to be said to have maximum impact,” she said. “I did want to allow some space for the audience to … understand the position he’s in, how hard it is to say the right thing.”

Of course, Sam may never hear the right things. After attempting to speak with her father, she fills the men’s backpacks with rocks—a small rebellion she can play off, like Matt’s comment, as an unfunny joke—and spends time alone hiking through the woods and gazing at the scenery. Most coming-of-age films dole out tidy life lessons for their protagonists, but Good One shows the messiness of gaining perspective. By the final scene, Sam is ready to let go of her need to be the “good one,” though it’s unclear how she’ll change—or whether that’s fully possible around Chris and Matt. “In reality,” Donaldson pointed out, “she’s still who she is at the end.” But like any teenager on the brink of adulthood, she’s closer to understanding who she can become.

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