Don’t Let Go, 2019.
Written and Directed by Jacob Estes.
Starring Storm Reid, David Oyelowo, Byron Mann, Mykelti Williamson, Shinelle Azoroh, Alfred Molina, and Brian Tyree Henry.
SYNOPSIS:
After a man’s family dies in what appears to be a murder, he gets a phone call from one of the dead, his niece. He’s not sure if she’s a ghost or if he’s going mad, but as it turns out, he’s not.
Time travel narratives inherently demand lots of leeway in terms of believability, and I’m willing to be overly forgiving in that aspect as long as the story entertains or is exciting or brings a thought-provoking dialogue to the surface. No spoilers, but during the climax of Don’t Let Go (written and directed by Jacob Estes, who direly needed someone to rewrite what is an otherwise fascinating if familiar sci-fi concept) I sat there dumbfounded as the most convoluted scenario I will probably see this year played out on-screen. The actors were giving it the dramatic heft the material didn’t even deserve, the consistently strong and dreamlike music was overwhelmingly present for maximum emotional effect, yet it was all for nothing as the antagonist is monumentally dumb just for the sake of the hero needing to prevail. Jacob Estes doesn’t write himself into a corner, he writes himself into another dimension, one where logic is apparently nonexistent.
The preceding 90 minutes are not better; Jack (David Oyelowo, who again, is in top form for an undeserving movie) recently loses his brother’s entire family in what appears to be a double murder-suicide. He also happens to be tightly close to his niece Ashley (Storm Reid, also delivering a worthwhile performance) while her parents, most notably her father played by Brian Tyree Henry, seem to have a bad habit of arguing and neglecting her. The father also has a history of dealing drugs and criminal activity, also on medication of his own fueling the unhinged psychotic meltdown theory Jack’s police detective peers run with as the answer.
Smartly, the supernatural premise is introduced swiftly after the grisly deaths with Jack receiving a phone call from Ashley that happens to be on the morning of the day of her death (the two had spoken on the phone that tragic day and Jack notices the similarities). There does not necessarily need to be an explanation for any of this, but Don’t Let Go doesn’t even try to offer to reason, opting to go the murder mystery route opening up a can of plot holes. If that wasn’t enough, there is also a poorly constructed sequence that basically resets the investigation so there can be, you guessed it, more investigating. The sleuthing elements would work better in a video game, whereas here they exist to mask the shortcomings of the sci-fi ideas. None of it really works.
However, there are plenty of functional aspects (as mentioned, the music is hazy and fits the muddled nature of everything Jack is stumbling through) meaning it would be difficult to fault someone for coming away thinking Don’t Let Go is a good movie. Even the absurd climax that makes no sense is actually somewhat thrilling to watch and crafted with suspense. In a nutshell, it is a fun movie that has no problems maintaining attention for 100 minutes, but the second the credits roll and one starts thinking more and more about it, oh boy, it’s going to fall apart before you exit the auditorium.
Perhaps this would be more forgivable if the rest of the movie didn’t fall into clichés and predictability. There are numerous red herrings about the true identity of the murderer, but it’s never left in doubt who the real villain is as long as you are familiar with the tried-and-true cinema watching tactics to pinpoint the bad guy. That’s actually putting into nicely; if you have seen a couple of thrillers in your lifetime, the twists and turns here should immediately enter your radar. That ham-fisted speeches about controlling one’s own destiny are fine, but there’s also nothing that allows that message to resonate.
Jacob Estes also seems to be biting off more than he can chew by making Don’t Let Go more complex than it has any right to be. Messing with alternate timelines is fine, but I must confess I’m unable to explain the plot to anyone 100%. There is a section in the middle that will not only throw people for a loop but feels like a writer digging their hole deeper after already digging a grave right beside it. There is ambition here and most definitely talent in front of the camera, but what attracted them to this mess is the real mystery. I will say this, though, the movie is not a waste of time, more of a distraction that is entertaining in the moment and royally stupid as soon once begin to unpack it. That’s more than I can say for most badly written movies.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, friend me on Facebook, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, check out my personal non-Flickering Myth affiliated Patreon, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
Originally published September 27, 2019. Updated January 8, 2020.
