“Just Let Go” gets at the heart of Christianity in a way few faith-based films have achieved. Rather than focus on the wonder of miracles or the existence of God, Christopher S. Clark and Patrick Henry Parker’s new film offers a powerful lesson on the nature of forgiveness.
Based on the real-life story of a family in Salt Lake City, “Just Let Go” sifts through the wreckage of a tragic car accident that cost Chris Williams his wife and three of his five children.
As Williams (played here by Henry Ian Cusick) tries to piece together some semblance of his former existence, “Just Let Go” focuses on whether the drunk driver who caused the crash will be tried as a minor or as an adult. The distinction will translate to a difference between three years in juvenile detention and 30 years in prison.
Through the legal drama, the film examines the relationship between justice and mercy, and the role of forgiveness at the core of Jesus Christ’s gospel. Most of the people Williams encounters, including his mother, Nadine (Brenda Vaccaro), are quick to demand justice, urging him to cash in financially. Even his lawyer (Sam Sorbo) goes as far as to use the Biblical expression “an eye for an eye.”
But Williams is slow to anger, to the frustration of his eldest son, Michael (Liam Buie), who was at a friend’s house during the accident. Michael isn’t interested in revenge so much as he just wants to see an emotional response from his subdued father.
The explanation of Williams’ hesitation is a key difference between “Just Let Go” and his memoir of the experience. The memoir played out chronologically, with Williams explaining some key events as they happened early in the book. But in the film, Clark and Parker wisely use flashbacks to reveal bits and pieces of the story at a more measured pace, allowing the film to build tension along the way.
Many will recognize Cusick from his role on TV’s “Lost,” and he employs much of his same charisma here (albeit without the Scottish accent). Cusick’s Desmond was the very human heart of that sci-fi drama, and that same troubled depth is very effective as a father wrestling with his family’s mortality.
At the time of the accident in 2007, the real Chris Williams was a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and “Just Let Go” also puts its protagonist at the head of a congregation. But in spite of some local references and a few establishment shots of the Salt Lake County Courthouse, “Just Let Go” is a bit more ambiguous, and keeps the religious content at a universal level. In fact, the film’s ultimate message should be accessible even to audiences without religious leanings at all.
Coming in at 110 minutes, “Just Let Go” maintains a steady, ponderous tone. It could use a little more in terms of emotional peaks and valleys — maybe a few more light moments to crack up the heavy façade — but the results are still effective. And a late scene between Williams and the other driver (Mitchell Ferrin) is especially memorable.
It’s easy to imagine how you might react in the face of tragedy, but Williams knows for sure, and we can learn a lot from his example.
“Just Let Go” is rated PG-13 for some intense, frightening scenes, as well as some mild gore (connected to the crash).
Joshua Terry is a freelance writer and photojournalist who appears weekly on "The KJZZ Movie Show" and also teaches English composition for Salt Lake Community College. Find him online at facebook.com/joshterryreviews.