Let Him Go

Let Him Go
Starring Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Lesley Manville, Jeffrey Donovan
Directed by Thomas Bezucha

There was a time where the Western genre was erupting, thanks in no small part to the likes of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, but as the years have gone on, this genre has fallen by the wayside in favor of bigger, more explosive blockbusters that are often all glitz and glamor and not deep character development or depth. "Let Him Go" is one of those classic Western films in that it takes place in the majestic wilderness of South Dakota and Montana, where there's nary a skyscraper or paved road in sight, and involves a very simplistic story of redemption, revenge, and the power of family.

Margaret (Diane Lane) and George (Kevin Costner) Blackledge are living their best lives - they're proud parents of their only son James (Ryan Bruce), who still lives with them on their farm with his wife Lorna (Kayli Carter) and their infant son Jimmy. Everything is ideal and picture-perfect, until James is accidentally killed by falling off his horse. The family dynamic is left shattered, and a few years later Lorna marries Donnie Weboy (Will Brittain), but it's not all family bliss, as Margaret witnesses Donnie hitting not just Lorna, but the now-older Jimmy, and decides to intervene - but when she goes to their apartment, she finds that they've left town to go live with Donnie's family.

Margaret convinces George to go on a trip to find their grandson and free him from what she believes is a volatile home situation, and their journey leads them from Montana to North Dakota, and meet Donnie's uncle Bill (Jeffrey Donovan). Almost immediately there's a sense of hostility, as it also seems that the townsfolk are nervous about the Weboy family, and when Bill invites the Blackledges to his sister's place for dinner - and to see Jimmy - they reluctantly agree. When they arrive at the homestead, they meet the matriarch, Blanche (Lesley Manville), and the dinner doesn't go exactly as planned, with Blanche only allowing Margaret to hold Jimmy for a few moments before sending him to bed. Convinced now more than ever that Jimmy and Lorna are in danger, Margaret concocts a plan to get Lorna out of the Weboy hold, but things don't go according to plan, threatening the lives of everyone involved.

Based off the novel by Larry Watson, "Let Him Go" is a powerful, slow-burn thriller that takes awhile to get to the "good stuff," but you don't mind because it's all about the journey and not the destination, and there's no better guides for this pseudo-Western film than Diane Lane and Kevin Costner, longtime friends who also starred as a married couple in "Man of Steel." The film is a powerful look at redemption, revenge, the family dynamic and how people deal with grief, especially the unthinkable grief of parents losing their only child. Not only are we gifted with two acclaimed actors at the top of their game, but under the careful direction of Thomas Bezucha and the stellar cinematography by Guy Godfree, the film is far from boring, which was something I was honestly worried about going into it.

The majority of the film focuses on the grief that Margaret and George go through with the loss of their son and their journey to bring their grandson home from a violent family. While George remains stoic and headstrong throughout (something Kevin Costner himself is well known for), Margaret is the driving force, the hurricane, the mama bear who has a backup plan after her backup plan fails in getting Jimmy out of that situation, even if it costs her her own life. Diane Lane commands the screen, playing a perfect chameleon role - this seemingly nice, sweet, cake-making grandmother appears to be innocent and kind, but once it all hits the fan, she unleashes her inner power and manages to both lay on the charm and the blunt honesty when needed. You can tell Lane and Costner are so comfortable with one another that they allow themselves to really become their characters without fear of how the other would act, and they totally immerse you in the experience.

The film starts off with bright sunlight, green grass, and this sense that everything is right with the world, but once James dies - and especially when Margaret finds Donnie beating on her grandson - the entire film takes a darker, more ominous tone not just in the performances but in the set designs as well, thanks entirely to Guy Godfree, who makes the Weboy house look like something out of a Western horror movie. The days are cloudy, the nights are darker, and the interior sets are tight and claustrophobic, especially the Weboy dining room where we're introduced to Lesley Manville's Blanche, the polar opposite - yet incredibly similar - to Margaret. You might have had some issues with family dinners before, but none of them compare to the sheer uncomfortable nature of this one, and it was the perfect introduction for Manville, who steals the show with her boisterous, powerful performance.

 The film really picks up when these matriarchs meet, and the way that Diane Lane and Lesley Manville work off each other is just as magical as Lane's work with Kevin Costner, but obviously working as the protagonist and antagonist. Blanche has a godfather-like hold over her family, while Margaret commanded respect with her loving and strict nature. Both women love their children, but in vastly different ways, and both are incredibly headstrong and determined - with poor Jimmy in the middle.

The film takes place in 1963, but you can clearly get a feeling that this is a true Western in every way - especially the battle between the Blackledges and the Weboys, which gives throwback feelings to the battle of the Hatfields and the McCoys. The film maintains this sense of an eventual clash of the titans, amping up the violence and chills as the two families interact with one another, and this type of tension and energy can only come from a story that the audience is invested in. Thanks to the talent behind and in front of the camera, that's fully accomplished, culminating in a fiery battle that both seemingly comes out of nowhere, and also one that's absolutely necessary to draw the ultimate conclusion.

Led by the effortless talents of Diane Lane and Kevin Costner, "Let Him Go" serves as a great Western throwback film that focuses on the power of family, the irresistible urge for revenge, and the ultimate redemption of broken people who act in broken ways.

The Score: A