Let Go

"Let Go" (2024) seemed an interesting time filler and for the first while it seemed to match my expectations, but then it shifted to something well worth viewing.  I was very impressed with it and a little concerned that the first part might disappoint those viewers who might be enticed by my strong recommendation. 

Having got that off my chest I do highly recommend this film to those who like family dramas.  In the end the word that comes to mind is "beautiful"!

You are soon introduced to a rowdy family with two children behaving somewhat obnoxiously with the mother, Stella trying to gain control.  The husband, Gustav seems a bit unconcerned.  After dinner with the daughter not co-operating the husband tells his wife he wants a divorce.  She doesn't respond in any of the ways your might expect.  She says she would be willing to discuss a divorce, but not until they do a family trip so their daughter can participate in a pole dancing contest.  He protests, but she is very insistent.

Shortly after we learn part of his motivation when we meet his girlfriend, Angela and afterwards they indulge in some sex.  Angela discusses his situation and recommends he go through with the trip and then divorce his wife so they can live together.  She is actually very likeable.

The 9 hour trip proves to be challenging.  The strain in the marriage is very evident as the wife accuses her husband of being "useless" as he is forgetting things and seems to avoid his children.  In fact he forgets the bag with Anna, his competing daughter's costumes.  She is furious, but her father calmly offers to take her shopping.  Gustav stands up to his wife pointing out that she is too controlling and has pushed him away from his children.

The trip involves a few difficulties and the couple act awkwardly.  You might be able to guess how their relationships works, but the ending is more difficult to figure out.  An unexpected scene was when they finally got to the pole dancing performance.  Throughout the film there are some English language songs of different tempos that added to my enjoyment.

You can be assured if you like family dramas this will be remembered.  Of course without a talented cast and crew it might have been just an okay time filler, but it is more than that and here are some of the people responsible.

The director, writer and lead actress is Josephine Bornebusch who plays Stella.  She has  9 director credits, 8 for writing and 36 for acting including 3 director episodes of "Baby Reindeer" (2024).

Uno Helmersson composed the music.  He has 89 composing credits and 25 for the music department including "The Lion Woman" (2016), "The Bridge" (2011-2018) and "The Painter and the Thief" (2020).

Ragna Jorming was the cinematographer.  She has 37 cinematography credits and 11 for the camera and electrical department.

Sarah Patient Nicastro was the editor.  She has 12 credits for editor, 19 for the editorial department and 19 for the Sound Department.  

Pal Sverre Hagen plays Gustav.  He has 42 acting credits including "Troubled Waters" (2009), "Kon Tiki" (2012), "In Order of Disappearance" (2014) and "The Girl in the Spider's Web" (2018).

Sigrid Johnson plays Anna, the daughter.  She has 15 acting credits.

Tone Danielsen plays Astrid the mother of Stella.  Most of her career was in Norway with 38 acting credits including "Reprise" (2006) with her son Anders Danielsen Lie and "The King's Choice" (2016).

Lola Sackow played Angela, the girlfriend.  She has 14 acting credits.

Irma Jamhammar plays the competition organizer.  Born in Georgia she speaks 5 languages; Swedish, English Georgian, Russian and Armenian.  She has 13 acting credits including in Georgia and Sweden.

Leon Mentori played Gabriel who did a pole dancing routine with Anna.  He has 2 acting credits.

"Let Go" is available on Netflix subtitled or dubbed.  Again, highly recommend.  

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  They are not necessarily a recommendation, but generally I found them worthy of my time.