Film Review: Let Him Go Will Have You Hooked
Watching Let Him Go, I was extremely sensitive because the premise, alone, summons notes from one of the most tragic, beautiful documentaries I have ever seen: Dear Zachary. This documentary was so impactful that, now, I am highly selective about seeing doc-films because of how much it gutted and stayed with me. The connection between the two being how far a pair of grandparents will go to save their grandchild from the craziness of their mother’s partner. Thus, almost immediately, viewers will become enthralled by Diane Lane’s Margaret and Kevin Costner’s George’s Blackledge.
I had no doubt that Diane Lane and Kevin Costner would KILL their parts. These are phenomenal actors that never give a role any less than their entire selves. Thus, the richness of their performance really comes from director and writer Thomas Bazucha’s manifestation of these characters. Every scene and line uttered stems from the deep love a parent has for their child and thus their grandchild. This makes Let Him Go a testament to lineage not only in terms of legacy but also love. You want your capacity to love, from who to how you loved, to continue beyond you, and your children/ grandchildren feel like your imprint of love on this earth. They are the memory of you that you most desire to leave, which is why when Kayli Carter’s Lorna begins a relationship with walking toxicity Donnie Weboy (Adam Stafford), the Blackledges are DETERMINED to save Jimmy.
LET HIM GO – Official Trailer [HD] – In Theaters November
Brittain makes Marvin the epitome of UGH! It is hard not to look at Lorna and say, “Really, Lorna? You are picking men like you never knew a healthy relationship!” Yet, the heart wants what it wants, and even the most loving parent cannot combat their own self-hatred. Lorna may love her son, but indoctrinating herself into the maddening, dark world of the Weboy family will not be filed under: Smart Parenting Choices. This family is crazy, cruel, and punishing. Despite being set in 1950’s North Dakota, if I saw them at a Trump Rally, I would say, “Yup! You belong!” They revel in other’s pain, insecurities, and grief. Still, the Blackledges are so apparently bereaved by the loss of their child, James, which is why they are unwavering in saving their grandson. As they put it, they have had ENOUGH loss, which is why they are more than ready to face of with the villainously stellar Lesley Manville as Weboy matriarch: Blanche.
Diane Lane talks about her new film ‘Let Him Go’ l GNA
Watching Manville’s Blanche, I kept on thinking of that line from the Dark Knight, “Some people just want to watch the world burn.” While I am all for positivity and find that life is, in part, a redemptive journey, I am not Ms. Salvation trying to save everybody and convinced, with just a hug, I can turn light to darkness and heal a grown man’s mommy-issues. If that were possible, again, I would hugging Weboys across Trump rallies and putting sage on their childhood traumas. Yet, it is the joy Blanche and co have at torturing the Blackledges, including endangering Lorna and her child, that make you so enraged. How can someone want to see another hurt? Moreover, how can you see someone hurt and want them absolutely devastated? Therefore, the film ignites viewers as you see the Blackledges fight back because love makes you a true warrior.
Out November 6, Let Him Go is a phenomenal thriller and one of the best films of 2020. It nosedives into the psyches of love and hate, which feels like a definite theme of the past year. Yet, its message is clear: just because you are a good person does not mean you are a weak one. The Weboys think they are “owning” and “winning” over the Blackledges by trying to turn their pain into a sick-game of cat and mouse, but this good, humble family only feels pain because they feel love. WATCH OUT WEBOYS!
