Letting Go

I saw this movie at a local film festival and thoroughly enjoyed it. Letting Go is a great film about the pressures of life and finding true happiness. The problems Joel is faced with are very relatable and make you truly sympathize for his situation. It makes you look into your own life and assess what truly matters.

The film has a solid cast and is beautifully acted throughout. The cast fully convey the emotions of the situation in a realistic and believable manner.

Overall, this movie is a diamond in wait and I strongly recommend to all.

Letting Go is a warm, entertaining, funny and thought provoking film filled with interesting characters and three scene stealing dogs. It follows Joel on his journey to understand his past so he can better navigate through his present relationships. It is about the internal struggle for work/life balance and how it alters the way one approaches life. Are you willing to sell your soul for career, money or the ones you love, regardless of perceived benefit? When does tolerance, loyalty and commitment overtake the original intention? On some level each of us struggles with these very questions. Letting Go examines the everyday mundane madness that one participates in both personal and professional relationships. In a thoughtful, comedic and occasionally quirky way, Letting Go addresses the contradictions inherent to modern life (and being human). The opposing forces of past and present desires and self-imposed limitations are meaningfully presented. While the story is about the struggle of letting go of one's personal demons, the film manages to remain light in tone, as it is peppered with comedic moments. Additionally, there is a subtext about the state of professionalism and the general tolerance of inappropriate behavior. It encourages self-reflection into one's own dysfunction and personal culpability. It is an entertaining film that leaves the audience smiling and hopeful; along with a desire to find, or simply acknowledge "the three things that make you happy."

I loved this movie. Letting Go has such a rich story and you can really relate to the character of Joel! You feel bad for the guy and want him to succeed through out this movie. Its like come on Joel, you make it! A smart, beautifully shot, with such great acting. All around a must watch! The relation of what has to happened to the main character, Joel and how he is dealing with everyday life is fascinating to watch. Everyone can relate to going through something horrible and trying to find that balance of who you are, the feelings of everyone around you and how to make the best of any tough situation. I have seen this independent with friends time and time again, and I highly recommend many others to see this. Also its so cute. All the dogs are adorable and you can't turn down dogs!

I saw this at the screening last year at the Pacific Design Center in LA. It's not a big Hollywood blockbuster by any stretch but it is a poignant little film that dares to tackle big themes. The performances are real and raw and surprisingly engaging. The dogs are fantastic and truly ground the rest of the film. Joel's relationship with his dad is the central story and it parallels my own relationship with my father, this is one of the big reasons the film hit home with me. It wanders at times and sometimes seems lost between drama and comedy (but hey, so does life!) but pulls it all together by the end. What can I say, I liked it and had a real and tangible emotional reaction to the story. Anyone that can do that in a film that obviously didn't have big bucks to throw at the screen in worthy of my vote.