Movie review: Hold on tight to Don’t Let Go

The movie Don’t Let Go, written and directed by Jacob Aaron Estes, was released in theaters on Friday, August 30 and it’s gotten a lot of media buzz.

The plot is very interesting, but at the same time very confusing since it travels back and forth in time and one of the main characters is dead throughout most of the film. Some internet reviews said that the movie is very touching and most said that it is engaging.

Don’t Let Go is the story about a supernatural connection between a police officer, Jack Radcliff (played by David Oyelowl) and his recently murdered niece Ashley (played by Storm Reid). Because of their close family ties, Radcliff feels that it is necessary to find out the true story behind the murders. Shown with flashbacks and real-time emotions, the story addresses more than just a murder mystery. Instead, it also addresses family relationships without relying on racial stereotypes.

In an article in Vulture.com, Angelica Jade Bastien asked producer Jason Blum “whether the characters in the film were written as black, or if his company employed a technique known as color-blind casting.” Blum confirmed that it was written from a color-blind perspective, although “it was probably written white,” he said. The cast is predominantly Black and the producer is White, but race ceases to be an issue when all is said and done.

There is edge of your seat excitement throughout the movie and it is well worth seeing in the theaters. If you miss it in theaters, it is scheduled to be available on Digital HD from Amazon Video and iTunes in November.