Choosing to do the right thing in the face of others who are doing the wrong thing is an age old lesson that is more prevalent than ever in our current world. LET HIM GO is a powerful film that challenges the human spirit as it follows an aging couple willing to risk their lives in order to save their grandson.
Husband and wife, George and Margaret Blackledge, own a small ranch in Montana. Their son, his wife, and new grandson live with them as well. They are a family of few words but their contentment is quickly conveyed. When his horse appears without their son, George immediately rides out to discover that their son has died from a riding accident. We see George and Margaret getting dressed presumably for the funeral, but it’s revealed to see their daughter-in-law remarrying with their grandson now about four years old. Margaret is particularly sad to have her grandson no longer living in their home. However, he is not too far away as the new family lives a quick trip into town. When Margaret is out grocery shopping she witnesses the new husband hit both their grandson and wife. When Margaret visits the new couple’s home, Margaret learns they have skipped town without a word. George and Margaret set off on a journey to find and save their grandson, which proves to be far more dangerous than expected.
That description is by no means a spoiler as it happens immediately in the first minutes of the film and wonderfully sets the stage for a thrilling drama about fighting for family. Setting the stage for everything to come, it never feels forced nor rushed. But what LET HIM GO does better than most films is create believable characters in an extraordinary scenario, which walks the line of horror in the sense that it is based in the reality of bad people. Similar to 2001’s Oscar nominated IN THE BEDROOM, LET HIM GO excels in the quiet moments, always building tension about the pain. However, in this case there is a very tangible goal of saving one family member while dealing with the death of another.
Kevin Costner and Diane Lane are perfect. I remember seeing these two actors playing husband and wife in 2013’s MAN OF STEEL. They were actually one of my favorite parts of the film and their chemistry was apparent then. I’ve always known of their talent but LET HIM GO could possibly earn both another well-deserved Oscar nomination. On the other side, the villainous Weboy family are also well-cast. Most notably Leslie Manville as the matriarch Blanche and Jeffery Donovan as one of her sinister sons, Bill Weboy.
LET HIM GO sets up a compelling and heart-wrenching scenario which perfectly creates the tone and tension through the rest of the film. While the final act trips up on some questionable character choices, LET HIM GO mostly earns, or rather is strong enough in so many other areas, that I’m quick to overlook or forgive these issues. And to be honest, regardless of any logical discrepancies I may have had toward the end of the film, the fact is, my heart was pounding and I was screaming with a variety of emotions fully invested in the characters, their story, and their drive to rescue their grandson at whatever cost.
