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Let Him Go
Even with the superb performances by Kevin Costner and Diane Lane at the heart of it, 2020's Let Him Go, though creating genuine chunks of heart-stopping suspense during its running time, ultimately falters due to sluggish direction and a meandering screenplay that takes too long to get where it's going.
Costner and Lane, who co-starred as Jonathan and Martha Kent in Man of Steel, take center stage here as George and Margaret Blackledge, a retired sheriff and his wife who are enjoying a quiet retirement on their ranch with their son James, his wife Lorna, and their grandson Jimmy. James is killed in a riding accident and a few years later, Lorna gets married again to one Donnie Weboy, who Margaret one day witnesses physically abusing Lorna and her grandson. Shortly after, Margaret learns that Donny, Lorna, and Jimmy have moved to North Dakota to Donnie's hometown and George and Margaret decide to travel to North Dakota to find their grandson and bring him home.
Thomas Bezucha's screenplay, based on a novel by Larry Watson, is wonderful at its roots and engages the viewer easily from the beginning. Loved that Margaret is prepared to embark on this mission with or without George but we are relieved when George agree to go. We're still intrigued when the Blackledges arrive in North Dakota and get no help in locating the Weboy family, but Bezucha begins to lose us when the Weboy clan turns out to be this creepy hillbilly type family who reminded me of those mountain men who violate Ned Beatty in Deliverance. We come closer to surrendering when Lorna's terror is revealed but she's afraid to leave and the Weboys appear to have the local sheriff in their pocket.
Bezucha's direction effectively establishes atmosphere. but it also makes the movie move at a snail's pace. The exposition setting up the story is fine, but the trip to North Dakota takes too long...we didn't need four or five scenes of the Weboys being protected by their hometown. We knew we were in trouble when the Blackledges finally arrive at the Weboys for dinner and family matriarch Blanche, sort of a demented blend of Ma Kettle and Ma Barker, wants to talk about anything but little Jimmy. And the over the top finale is completely unsatisfying on so many levels.
On the positive side, the film is handsomely mounted and features Oscar-worthy cinematography, film editing, and I loved Michael Giacchino's music. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane provide a strong heart for the film, with standout work by Lane, providing her strongest performance since Unfaithful. Mention should also be made of the severely underrated Jeffrey Donavan as Bill Weboy and a flashy performance by Oscar nominee Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) as the slightly maniacal Blanche, an eye opening performance that is nothing like her performance in the Paul Thomas Anderson drama. With tighter direction and writing, this could have been an almost Hitchcock-calibre nail-biter, but Costner and Lane make the viewer care enough to keep watching.
Even with the superb performances by Kevin Costner and Diane Lane at the heart of it, 2020's Let Him Go, though creating genuine chunks of heart-stopping suspense during its running time, ultimately falters due to sluggish direction and a meandering screenplay that takes too long to get where it's going.
Costner and Lane, who co-starred as Jonathan and Martha Kent in Man of Steel, take center stage here as George and Margaret Blackledge, a retired sheriff and his wife who are enjoying a quiet retirement on their ranch with their son James, his wife Lorna, and their grandson Jimmy. James is killed in a riding accident and a few years later, Lorna gets married again to one Donnie Weboy, who Margaret one day witnesses physically abusing Lorna and her grandson. Shortly after, Margaret learns that Donny, Lorna, and Jimmy have moved to North Dakota to Donnie's hometown and George and Margaret decide to travel to North Dakota to find their grandson and bring him home.
Thomas Bezucha's screenplay, based on a novel by Larry Watson, is wonderful at its roots and engages the viewer easily from the beginning. Loved that Margaret is prepared to embark on this mission with or without George but we are relieved when George agree to go. We're still intrigued when the Blackledges arrive in North Dakota and get no help in locating the Weboy family, but Bezucha begins to lose us when the Weboy clan turns out to be this creepy hillbilly type family who reminded me of those mountain men who violate Ned Beatty in Deliverance. We come closer to surrendering when Lorna's terror is revealed but she's afraid to leave and the Weboys appear to have the local sheriff in their pocket.
Bezucha's direction effectively establishes atmosphere. but it also makes the movie move at a snail's pace. The exposition setting up the story is fine, but the trip to North Dakota takes too long...we didn't need four or five scenes of the Weboys being protected by their hometown. We knew we were in trouble when the Blackledges finally arrive at the Weboys for dinner and family matriarch Blanche, sort of a demented blend of Ma Kettle and Ma Barker, wants to talk about anything but little Jimmy. And the over the top finale is completely unsatisfying on so many levels.
On the positive side, the film is handsomely mounted and features Oscar-worthy cinematography, film editing, and I loved Michael Giacchino's music. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane provide a strong heart for the film, with standout work by Lane, providing her strongest performance since Unfaithful. Mention should also be made of the severely underrated Jeffrey Donavan as Bill Weboy and a flashy performance by Oscar nominee Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) as the slightly maniacal Blanche, an eye opening performance that is nothing like her performance in the Paul Thomas Anderson drama. With tighter direction and writing, this could have been an almost Hitchcock-calibre nail-biter, but Costner and Lane make the viewer care enough to keep watching.