Movie Reviews For November 6, 2020

LET HIM GO

Rated: R

Release Date: November 6, 2020

Director: Thomas Bezucha

Stars: Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Kayli Carter, Jeffrey Donovan

Plot: A retired couple, dealing with the loss of their son, tries to rescue their only grandson from an abusive family

Trailer Clint

Says: Save some money and see a matinee

I didn’t really know what to expect going into this movie, but I know that I expected more than what I got. That isn’t to say that this is a bad film, it just doesn’t have a gripping, edge-of-your-seat plot to keep you engaged for almost two hours. This movie relies much more on emotion than action.

It’s odd in a way because the reality is that only three big things happen in the first 45 minutes, but it doesn’t feel like the movie is dragging. Yes, it does feel like a slow-moving story, but in doesn’t feel like it gets bogged down or the story loses momentum. It’s simply a slow burn.

For the most part the acting is pretty solid. Diane Lane does a great job leading the cast, and Kevin Costner gives one of his better performances. (That’s not saying a lot, since he is the same character in every film he does, but at least it fits in this movie).

If you are a fan of the slow, emotional tale then this is a film that you will want to see. If you saw the trailer for this and you were excited to see a couple of grandparents act like Rambo for two hours, you are going to be disappointed. This isn’t the kind of film that will win a ton of awards, but it is still one worth seeing.

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18 TO PARTY

Rated: Not Rated

Release Date: November 6, 2020 (Opens in virtual theaters)

Director: Jeffrey Roda

Stars: Nolan Lyons, Taylor Richardson, Alivia Clark, Tanner Flood

Plot: A mismatched group of junior high kids discuss and debate life, death, school, and more while they wait to get into a nightclub

Trailer

Clint Says: Worth a watch if you like Indie films

If you grew up watching movies from the 1980’s then you know that John Hughes was the master of the teen comedy. He captured the reality and true essence of teens growing up in the time before cell phones and the internet.

Now comes a guy named Jeffrey Roda, with very few credits to his name, but he’s essentially given us a 1980’s, Junior High version of THE BREAKFAST CLUB. Really. The whole movie centers around a group of Junior High kids waiting outside of a nightclub for what seems like two or three hours, and while they are waiting, they discuss and debate all of the issues that a 1980’s Junior High kid would find important.

Now for the reality check. Is this as good as a John Hughes film? Not even close. It’s good, and sometimes it even borders on great, but it isn’t anywhere near the same league as THE BREAKFAST CLUB or any of the other classics by Hughes. The main issue with it is the slow pace and the clunky transitions. You can almost hear the director saying, “and, scene,” at the end of a segment, then readjusting the cameras to shoot the next bit. It just doesn’t flow like it should.

Aside from the pacing and transition issues, everything else is pretty spot on. The acting is very good for the most part. There are a couple of small moments where the dialogue doesn’t feel legitimate, but overall, the characters do feel real.

If you are a child of the 80’s this film will bring back a lot of crazy Junior High memories. I would recommend seeing this just for the memories alone.