Let Him Go Blu Ray Review (Universal)
Let Him Go is a 2020 neo-Western drama film produced, written and directed by Thomas Bezucha (Monte Carlo, Big Eden, and The Family Stone). It’s based on the novel of the same name from author Larry Watson. It was produced by lead actor Kevin Costner (The Highwaymen, Mr. Brooks, Open Range, The Bodyguard, Revenge, Wyatt Earp, The Postman, and Thirteen Days). It grossed $10.5 million worldwide at the box office.
In 1963 Montana, retired sheriff George Blackledge (played by: Kevin Costner from Waterworld, Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Yellowstone, Man of Steel, The Untouchables, and Field of Dreams) with his wife Margaret (played by: Diane Lane from The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, Streets of Fire, The Cotton Club, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and Killshot) live with their son James (played by: Ryan Bruce from Sinsters and Blackstone), his wife Lorna (played by: Kayli Carter from Rings, Godless, and Charlie Says), and their newborn grandson, Jimmy. One day while James is out riding his horse, the wild horse comes running back through the farm without James. George finally finds James dead alongside a creek. It is assumed that he died from being thrown from the horse, breaking his neck. Three years later, Lorna marries Donnie Weboy (played by: Will Brittain from Haunt, Kong: Skull Island, and Everybody Wants Some!!). While out in town, Margaret sees Donnie physically abusing both his wife and Jimmy. Margaret decides to visit them at their new home, without knowing that Donnie has decided to leave town with his new family.
Margaret worries over Jimmy’s safety and she decides to find her grandson. Various sources clue them into the whereabouts of the Weboy family until they finally locate Donnie’s uncle Bill Weboy (played by: Jeffrey Donovan from Burn Notice, Honest Thief, Sicario 1/2, and Fargo) in North Dakota. At dinner, they meet the rest of Donnie’s family which includes his loud mouth mother Blanche (played by: Lesley Manville from The Crown, Phantom Thread, Maleficent 1/2, and Vera Drake) plus his brothers Elton (played by: Connor Mackay from The Intruder and Dead of Summer) and Marvin (played by: Adam Stafford from iZombie and The Flash). The dinner ends up awkward and confrontational from the two families. They leave the Weboy with even more motivation to save their grandson from this bad situation. George with Margaret meet Lorna at work the next day and they convince her to go back to Montana with them. The Weboy family shows up instead and all hell breaks loose. The Blackledge family sets out for revenge after their attack and they are getting Jimmy back no matter what it takes. They get help from a local boy named Peter (played by: Booboo Stewart from American Satan, X-Men: Days of Future Past, He Never Died, and the Twilight series). Can they overpower this evil and corruption from this dangerous family????
Let Him Go is a definitely a slow burn feature and it takes awhile to get somewhere but it’s worth the wait. The script has some great character build up, tension, and gets you ready for the chaotic 45 minute finale between the rival families. This kinda had a Ozark vibe to it with the powerful and evil backwoods family running their town. Like I said before, this is a little slow until the final act but the acting is great here. There’s not a weak performance here and every performance shines in this unknown thriller. Kevin Costner gives one of his better performances in recent years as the grandfather trying to save his son’s kid from a bad life. Diane Lane is in top form as the one that pushes everything and tries to save her family from this family with trying to steal Jimmy away. I haven’t seen her like this in a long time. I am guessing that their chemistry as Superman’s parents in the DC Comics film Man of Steel might have influenced their casting here. Lesley Manville and Jeffrey Donovan steal the show as the lead villains. You really hate them from the start, there’s nothing good about the Weboys in this. It has a very strong supporting cast that includes Kayli Carter, Will Brittain, Connor Mackay, Adam Stafford, Booboo Stewart, and Greg Lawson (Wynonna Earp) as the slimy corrupt sheriff. Despite the story and characters taking it’s time for some madness, this one still keeps your attention on development and acting before it’s action packed finish. This one came out of no where and it was definitely better than expected, RECOMMENDED!!!!
Let’s talk about the high definition presentation from Universal Pictures! This 1080p (2.39:1) looks fantastic on blu ray. I love the western and backwoods vibe it has here. It some real beautiful locations and quality production design here. It has a few different audio options which includes English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, French: DTS-HD HR 7.1, and Spanish: DTS 5.1 on the disc. This one doesn’t really pack a punch until the last 45 minutes when all the chaos starts. All of the dialogue is crystal clear and the music has a nice boost to it. It also has English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles.
Let’s discuss the special features from Universal Pictures! “The Making of Let Him Go” is a little over 6 minutes. They chat about the original source material and novel that it was based on. They talk about the characters and the cast. They go over the story, production design, and cinematography. It has interviews with director Thomas Bezucha, actors Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Lesley Manville, Jeffrey Donovan, and various members of the crew. “The Blackledges: Kevin Costner & Diane Lane” is a little over 4 minutes. It has interviews with most of the same people as the previous extra. They chat about the lead characters and actors for the film. They talk about the tragedy and sadness they go through during Let Him Go. They bring up their experience and what they brought to the production. “Lighting the Way: Thomas Bezucha” is a little over 3 minutes. It has interviews with the cast and crew. They chat about working with the director for Let Him Go. They talk about his screenplay and that it was one of the best first drafts ever. They bring up how he perfectly adapted the novel for film. They mention the performances and supporting cast. It has some behind the scenes footage from the set. It also includes a slipcover, a digital copy, and a DVD copy of the release here. It’s available everywhere right now, CHECK IT OUT!!!!
