Debra Granik’s beautiful, haunting film did just that on nominations day — and it’s a shame. The story of a war-damaged Will (Ben Foster) and his 13-year old daughter, Tom (Thomasin McKenzie), as they are yanked from their off-the-grid life in the Oregon wilderness is a vivid contemplation of nature, both literal and human. We are immersed in the beauty and perils of the forest, and of growing up, watching as Tom matures and longs for a more stable and communal life than the one her dad has chosen. Most girl-on-the-verge stories focus on sexuality; Tom’s journey, written by Granik and Anne Rosellini, and shot by Michael McDonough, is about accepting people for who they are, even if that means letting them go.
Source: latimes.com – Los Angeles Times