Tribeca Film Festival 2025 Review: “A Tree Fell in the Woods”

By Morgan Roberts

Director: Nora Kirkpatrick
Writer: Nora Kirkpatrick
Stars: Alexandra Daddario, Daveed Diggs, Josh Gad, Ashley Park, Kevin Pollack
Runtime: 96 minutes
Year: 2025

In Nora Kirkpatrick’s “A Tree Fell in the Woods,” two couples begin to confront their relationships in a secluded house during a New Year’s Eve snow storm. Mitch (Josh Gad) and Melanie (Ashley Park) meet their friends Debs (Alexandra Daddario) and Josh (Daveed Diggs) at a rental to pass the time between Christmas and New Year’s. Debs and Mitch go way back, knowing one another since childhood. One day, after the two are nearly killed by a tree falling in the woods, they return to find more than they had bargained for with their spouses.

From L to R: Josh (Daveed Diggs), Debs (Alexandra Daddario), Mitch (Josh Gad), and Melanie (Ashley Park) in “A Tree Fell in the Woods” | Tribeca Film Festival

The film plays out, at times, as a Comedy of Errors, with everyone harboring some secret that is closely revealed through the course of the film. It is claustrophobic, particularly as the setting begin to shrink during a snowstorm. “A Tree Fell in the Woods” then becomes a pressure cooker as they four people navigate their frustrations, their personal failings, and their desires under one roof. A benefit to the film is the cast, with some of them having particularly strong chemistry - Daddario and Diggs are incredibly believable in their roles. Having a history with comedy, Gad and especially Park know how to play to the mezzanine with the latter adding impeccable nuance and layers to her performance. It is a delicate dance between anger, resolute, and hope these actors have the play into, with some solid performances to show for it.

Unfortunately, some of the twists and turns do not the film’s bare foundation. The plot begins to wear thin and it becomes hard to retain traction for a good portion of the second act. By the third act, the film certainly rebounds, but has problems reaching the heights it was intending to explore. The film may have benefited from additional conflict or utilizing some devices from the third act sooner, and then building off of those.

Editor Henry Haynes swoops in as MVP with some moments in the third act truly standing out - in particular, a dance montage that was surprisingly and genuinely fun to witness. While “A Tree Fell in the Woods” is a bit of a rocky ride, there are certainly some amusing and touching moments found in this film.

Grade: C
Pair This Film With: “Friends with Money” (2006) dir. Nicole Holofcener; “I’ll Take You There” (1999) dir. Adrienne Shelly; “The Intervention” (2016) dir. Clea DuVall