Westerns have been a long standing genre in film since the
first movies were made. But for some reason few of them are being made these
days. Another genre has risen to take its place though, the neo-western. These
are stories that follow the long standing traditions and messages from those
classic westerns but place them in more current settings. LET HIM GO is the
latest in that genre.
Kevin Costner plays George Blackledge and Diane Lane his wife Margaret. They’re living with their son James (Ryan Bruce) his wife Lorna (Kayli Carter) and their newborn son Jimmy on their ranch. Tragedy strikes when Jimmy is thrown off his horse while riding the fences and is killed.
Three years pass and Lorna remarries a young man named Donnie Weboy (Will Brittain). One day while shopping Margaret sees them across the street and watches in horror as Donnie hits Jimmy in the head and then almost knocks Lorna over. Not knowing what to do she returns home and begins baking a cake. George thinks it’s for him but her intent is to stop by Donnie and Lorna’s to make sure everything is all right.
Instead she discovers that they’ve left town without telling anyone and taken Jimmy with them. She returns home to let George know what’s been going on and to set out to find them and bring Jimmy back for them to raise. An ex-lawman with tracking experience George knows there is no stopping her when she sets her mind to it and joins her.
The trail leads them from Montana to North Dakota where Donnie’s family lives. Stopping along the road they meet Peter (Booboo Stewart), a young Indian living on his own in a small shack. Talking to him they get an idea of where to go next and head that direction.
The Blackledge’s finally find the Weboy family meeting Bill (Jeffrey Donovan), Donnie’s uncle in Gladstone. The meeting doesn’t start well but he ends up inviting them to dinner with the family. He meets them and has one ride in his car while the other follows. They get to the homestead and find that Donnie’s family isn’t quite all that.
Mother Blanche (Lesley Manville) is a bit off and rules with an iron fist. It was her idea for Donnie to return home to the fold. As dinner progresses and Lorna and Jimmy finally arrive things reach a breaking point. Blanche sends Jimmy up to bed within minutes of arriving home denying Margaret a chance to spend time with him. The situation ends with them leaving. But will that be the end of it?
If you’ve seen any western worth its salt you know that this will not be the end and that something terrible is bound to happen. Guns will be drawn, weapons will be wielded and blood will be spilled. The good guys will face off against the bad guys and when it’s all said and done no everyone will walk away from this situation.
The traditional theme of right and wrong are at play here as well as the clan mentality seen in so many westerns. Think the Clanton’s at the OK Corral. And in the character of George we have the man willing to stand for what’s right in spite of the fact that he is far beyond his prime. Someone willing to go it alone if he must much like in HIGH NOON. And all of these traditional themes work effectively in this film, brought up to the modern day and still hitting all the right notes.
Costner is an actor who can still hold his own. At age 66 he’s not playing the roles he once did but taking on those in his age bracket and doing it well. He plays George here with a grizzled voice and quiet demeanor that don’t display what he’s capable of. Lane has also shown that she’s an actress of note and can turn in an equally amazing performance. Her strong will character here is one you won’t forget.
The movie offers entertainment coupled with a solid story.
The subject matter of spousal abuse, child abuse and a strange family is
probably not something younger kids should be watching. But adults will sit on
the edge of their seats waiting until the final moments when they learn the
fate of this family. It’s a movie worth watching.
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