Mitch (Josh Gad) and Debs (Alexandra Daddario) are childhood friends who go on a New Year’s Eve trip to a cabin in the woods with their respective spouses (Ashley Park and Daveed Diggs), but things are clearly not all great for both couples. As the titular tree falls, nearly killing Mitch and Debs, things are seen that were not meant to be seen and truth-telling enters the picture when an unidentifiable and slightly psychedelic drink is drunk in this entertaining dramedy about the lies we tell ourselves about ourselves and how to untangle them all.

In her feature film directorial debut, writer-director Nora Kirkpatrick offers a humorous and poignant examination of how relationships unravel under the weight of secrets left unspoken. Still, there is always a way back with a bit of magic and possibly some hallucinogens. With great performances from this all-star cast, A Tree Fell in the Woods is a delight that answers the question: what happens when a tree falls in the woods and someone does hear it?—Faridah Gbadamosi

Nora Kirkpatrick