Several years after Dan (Daniel Griesheimer)'s tragic death in a car accident, his father Harry (Timothy J. Cox) reconnects with Dan’s wife Abby (Ashlee Lawhorn) in order to celebrate Dan’s life and reconcile their loss.
Let Dan Go opens outside a bar, where a desperate and frustrated woman pleads with her intoxicated husband to give up his car keys and come home with her. It is undoubtedly a familiar scene for far too many, and one that ends all too predictably. But despite a brutally honest approach to such a sensitive subject, director Arielle Carroll is also respectful of those that have suffered such a loss. Never going too far in her portrayal of the event that drives this short film.
After this intense and traumatic opening, we encounter Harry, sitting on a park bench, where he's soon joined by his daughter-in-law, Abby. It has been some time since that tragic night, but the pain is still fresh. On the face of it, this a catch-up. Two people who haven't seen each other for some time, finally reconnecting. But buried within this charming and pleasant meeting is an exploration of grief, and the rippling effects such a tragedy can have.
That cost is a major focus of the film, and the fact it's examined in such a simple way means it feels genuinely natural. The short runtime could have left Let Dan Go feeling like a "Previously on 24"-style exposition dump, but the opposite couldn’t be more true. We learn about all that has happened to this family in the wake of Dan’s death as any friend or family member might.
Lawhorn and Cox have this wonderful chemistry throughout, as if they really have known each other for years. Something in their ease with each other gives you the sense that - for their characters, at least - they are finally with someone who truly understands, allowing them to fully open up about Dan, and all that has happened since he passed.
The two leads make it easy to become caught up in this journey. Through their powerful performances - not to mention the tragic circumstances in which we find Harry and Abby - it is impossible not to feel all of the raw but very mixed emotions flowing through the story. A beautiful score also helps. And yet, as much as there is tragedy to this story, there is also something positive, maybe even hopeful. Catharsis is another word that springs to mind.
Meeting in a beautiful park, they not only discuss how they have gone about their lives since, but appear to be processing their loss together. What really grabs you, however, are the questions. Of which we are left with a few. After all, this isn't the whole story, and as their brief catch-up comes to an end, you find yourself wanting more. By this point I certainly had become rather invested in these characters. So much so that I found myself contemplating, among other things, where two people inextricably linked by tragedy, might go from here.
A powerful short film about tragedy, grief, and loss. Let Dan Go not only handles a delicate subject with care and respect, it makes it easy to connect with the characters on a deeply emotional level.
9/10
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