A retired sheriff and his wife, grieving over the death of their son, set out to find their only grandson.
Kevin Costner could just show up on a movie screen and never have to say a word and I would still enjoy the sacred privilege of his presence. Having said that, I experienced the emotion-filled totality of this with all the words he didn’t say in the early parts of this film. Costner plays the role of George Blackledge, a husband, father, and grandfather who is proud of his family and ever so conscious of their frailties. Early on, he seems to know that lending an ear and holding his tongue is the most proper thing to do when it comes to his strong-willed wife Margaret (Diane Lane), who rarely takes no for an answer. Margaret’s young grandson is her pride and joy, so much so, that she shows in every way possible, that she doesn’t think her son’s wife Lorna (Kayli Carter) is capable of giving him the care he deserves. In her own snobbish and vilifying way, she takes every moment of their time together to reinforce her grandmotherly strength by negating every move Lorna makes.
The entire Blackledge family makes a dramatic shift when George and Margaret’s only son James(Ryan Bruce), is found dead in the field after falling off of his horse. The true limits of patience are tested in every character as each has his own way of mourning the loss of James and neither of them does it very well. The wedge that was already between Margaret and Lorna, becomes even deeper when Lorna remarries Donnie Weboy (Will Brittain) who doesn’t have kids and has been caught mistreating both Jimmy and his mother. The biggest jab comes when Donnie decides to move Lorna and Little Jimmy out of town without notifying George and Margaret. With what we have learned about Margaret, it is no surprise that she takes it personally and decides to uproot her family on a mission to find her grandson and bring him back home. Something about the entire experience brings about a shift in Grandpa’s interior combustion chamber and he slowly breaks from his silence to let Margaret know that this is a fight they could never win.
The journey to find Donnie Weboy changes the entire scope of the film when everyone the Blackledges run into along the path, gives information along with a warning about messing with the Weboy family. When the Blackledges and the Weboys meet up, the matriarch of the Weboy family, Blanche Weboy (Lesley Manville), takes over and shows everyone who is boss. Neither of Margaret’s plans, A, B, or C work and George takes a personal hit that both makes him want to stop altogether and go the distance at the same time. The final day of reckoning comes when a “Gunsmoke” style shootout ends with an unexpected twist and a new bond is created as a result.
The film’s tributary title, “Let Him Go,” speaks volumes about the limitless boundaries of love and the dangerous aspect of loyalty. Director Thomas Bezucha does an excellent job of creating a plot that is easy to follow with an element of mystery that increases with anticipation and incrementally shows us how to digest the pros and cons of family feuds internally and externally while also learning how to win amidst insurmountable losses.
In Select Theaters Friday, November 6th
