LET HIM GO!

We had been enjoying Kevin Costner in the television series, Yellowstone, and were pleased to see that he was one of the, if not the main, stars in a movie that we were about to view on the big screen. Let Him Go stars Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, and Lesley Manville, and each one is memorable for differing reasons that become more and more apparent as the show progresses.

Margaret and George Blackledge are grandparents of Jimmy, and Lorna, their daughter-in-law, is his mother and the wife of his father, James Blackledge.

She is in a “second marriage” to Donnie Weboy (as the story progresses), and this name, WEBOY, is a large part of the movie’s actions. Blanche Weboy (Manville) is the mother of Donnie and the “sort of” grandmother of Jimmy.

It is apparent that Margaret has not totally come to grips (closure) with the death of her son, James.

This movie is based upon a 2013 novel by Larry Watson and is set in the 1950s.

There are flashes of clan violence (led by the Matriarchs) and elements of George’s earlier tenure as a sheriff, and some are hard to watch, as are showdowns between two opposing families—with a little boy caught in the middle.

The action involving the boy is central to the movie’s theme and outcome, but the evolving mental conditions, feelings, and reactions to relationships by Margaret are also very important and provoking—as are the slow resolutions and condescensions (to his wife) by George.

This is a story about mostly “no-nonsense” people, who are not always easy to like, even the supposedly “good guys.”

The running time is a little under two hours, and you won’t want to leave the auditorium once the show starts—you will miss too much action, and you might violate the “COVID” restrictions.

Rated “R” fairly for VIOLENCE, I would not want my young grandchildren to see this movie at least until they are MATURE high school students who have shown maturity and the ability to process disturbing information and scenes about the actions and habits and moralities of supposedly “grown” people!

My wife, a big Costner fan, rates this a “B+” film; however, her usually more matter-of-fact and less sentimental husband did not especially think the “story” was totally believable or presented in the way that would have sent its message best. In other words, I vote a “C” for a movie I would like to watch again and see if I feel the same the 2nd time around about this well-acted presentation.

And, I truly believe that movies are meant to be seen on BIG SCREENS if at all possible!