A Tree Fell In The Woods (Tribeca 2025) Film Review & Summary
In “A Tree Fell In The Woods,” a group of friends try to navigate whether a secret coming out is worth blowing up their lives or should be ignored.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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“A Tree Fell In The Woods” Film Details
- Runtime: 1 Hour(s) and 36 Minutes
- Seen Via: Film Festival – Tribeca Film Festival | Press Screening or Screener
- Released On: In Theaters
- Public Release Date: June 8, 2025 (Get Tickets)
- Director(s): Nora Kirkpatrick
- Writer(s): Nora Kirkpatrick
- Primary Language: English
- Genre(s): Comedy, Drama
- Rating: Not Rated
Summary
Josh, Debbie (Debs), Mitch, and Melanie decide to take a couples vacation for the New Year in an isolated cabin. Of the four, Debs and Mitch are the core friends, having known each other for 15 years. But, as the clock approaches midnight and a new year begins, they learn that despite how much they think they know about each other and their spouses, there are a lot of life-altering secrets among them.
Cast and Characters
Josh (Daveed Diggs)
- Check out other productions we’ve covered starring this actor: [Link to Actor’s Tag]
- Character Summary: Josh is a photographer, the leader of a team that has made it to major publications, and Debbie’s husband.
Debbie aka Debs (Alexandra Daddario)
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- Character Summary: Debbie is an editor, with one book credit on her portfolio, and there is the potential for a second book being out there, but with the first one not doing well, it isn’t clear if the second one may ever be released.
Mitch (Josh Gad)
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- Character Summary: Mitch is an investment banker, Debbie’s best friend, who is married to Melanie.
Melanie (Ashley Park)
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- Character Summary: Melanie is an excellent cook who now has two published cookbooks, and she is married to Mitch.
What To Expect In “A Tree Fell In The Woods” (Not Rated) – Content Overview
- Dialog:
- Cursing: Occasional
- Violence: None
- Sexual Content:
- Nudity: Implied
- Sexual Situations: Implied
- Miscellaneous:
- Drinking: Yes
- Smoking: Yes
Links
- Check out our movies page for our latest movie reviews and recommendations.
- More Coverage Of The 2025 Tribeca Film Festival
Review and Commentary
Highlight(s)
The Depiction Of Loving Someone’s Qualities, But Not Necessarily Loving Them [82/100]
In the movie, a character notes that they love certain qualities about someone, but aren’t in love with them, to the point where they don’t spend an extended amount of time with them, such as ordering dessert, because they have nothing to talk about. That note provides perhaps the best thing about this movie, in terms of people staying friends with, or marrying, someone who looks good on paper, treats them nice, but they aren’t in love with them, or feel loved by them, to the point they should have taken things as far as they did.
Look at it this way: Josh is an attractive man, a prize in the eyes of many, but Debs’ writing, what she likes to talk about, the things which have allowed her and Mitch to have a friendship so long, she can’t get from Josh. They are compatible in many ways, but for them, and I’d say Melanie and Mitch, there is the need to question if progressing to marriage was based on will, time spent, ego, some form of safety and security, or anything beyond simply loving and enjoying being with that other person.
Taking note some of the secrets complicate things beyond what we’re mentioning, I think what A Tree Fell In The Woods presents is perhaps a mature trigger to evaluating if maybe a relationship, or friendship, deserves dissolving due to not being structured for the weight both, or either, party wishes to put on it.
On The Fence
You May Not Feel Invested In The Relationships – At All [74/100]
When it comes to A Tree Fell In The Woods, while you might invest in the individuals, mainly due to knowing them from other projects, I wouldn’t say you will find yourself wanting any to stay together, especially as information comes out. Whether it is a marriage or friendship, the relationships don’t feel authentic as much as they are written to be true. Often making it so, as one or another mentions insecurities, it doesn’t make them seem more human but rather furthers your need to question how this relationship got to the point that you got married, and was it a mistake?
Overall
Our Rating (78/100): Mixed (Divisive)
A Tree Fell In The Woods delivers a nuanced exploration of emotional disconnect in relationships that look perfect on paper but lack genuine intimacy, and the film shines when highlighting the difference between loving someone’s traits and truly loving the person. This, in turn, offers a mature and reflective take on why people stay in unfulfilling marriages or friendships.
But while the individual performances may capture your attention, the lack of chemistry and investment in the relationships themselves leaves the story missing essential qualities to make what could be lost matter.
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