Dont Let Go: Review by @Kush_Hayes
Two people, in two separate timelines, communicating through a form of technology. This isnt anything really new. Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves did it with a mailbox in The Lakehouse. Jim Caviezel and Dennis Quaid used an old radio in Frequency. And now Storm Reid and David Oyelowo use their smartphones in Don’t Let Go. Gimmick aside, you are seeing this movie purely for the relationship between Reid and Oyelowo. They have great chemistry and you believe they could really be niece and uncle.
This is another case where the trailer for the movie is better than the movie itself. That comment probably comes off as a gut punch. Its a really good trailer, so, yeah.
Ive not heard of Jacob Estes before this movie. As of now, his biggest movie was in 2007 with the sequel/reboot that was Rings. Not only did I sleep on that, but I didnt hear very nice things about it either. Im sorry to report that theres just something flawed in the execution of Estes screenplay in Dont Let Go. Estes has director and writer credits on this. Its hard to tell if this could have been better using a different director and alter the story as needed, or have someone else create the screenplay for Jacob Estes and Drew Daywalt, the writing team who provided the story itself.
This is a story of a bond between an Uncle and his Niece. Dad is traditionally a screw up, who has had many encounters with the law and has had substance abuse issues. Mom is usually working all the time to make up for Dads deficit. This is what we are told. However later in the film in the Past Timeline, we will see that ok, Dad has somehow still getting in trouble with the law, but other than that, hes gotten his life together where he isnt on any substances, is only reading self help books and applying their teachings. Hell, he is even writing songs with his guitar again as Mom hangs out drinking wine falling back in love. Theres a couple inconsistencies in those statements and you find out Dad is really trying hard, but its still unclear why our movies villains chose to bring him into these problems that ultimately get the whole family killed.
This movie doesnt really hold back on its violence. Now I didnt find it over the top or exploitative, but you do see sixteen year old Storm Reid get murdered, and despite people knowing most of the movie is trying to prevent her death, I think it will still sit bad with a lot of people. And once you see her die, and you see David Oyelowo dealing with this tragedy, your heart breaks in the scene. In a few scenes even.
From the murder of the family, time gets murky, and thats before we get to the unexplained force majeure of the smartphones. From the funeral, it feels like weeks could have passed, maybe even a month, but based on dialog later, its only been a few days. Maybe that was intentional. Once we’re in the mystery, things unravel as they will. Im still confused by why Oyelowos family was involved in this, but maybe it was explained in the shouting of our movies antagonist at the end.
Its by no means a bad movie, and I can see it having a life on streaming platforms in the very near future, but the movies only strength is the relationship between Reid and Oyelowo. The mystery is cluttered, things are inconsistent even in discovery, and then alternate timelines become a thing as we move through the films dry 1 hour 43 minute run time. Oh and Alfred Molina is in it, for a good chunk of time too. So I guess thats two positives, but unsure as to why not broadcast that detail more.
Two out of Six Blueberries
Rated R for violence, bloody images, and language
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