No Letting Go

This film does a tremendous job showing what raising a child with mental illness really is like. It is a film I recommend to ALL families and its hopeful message needs to be shared by everyone. It is based on a true story, but anyone can identify with some role in the film, whether it is the child, the parents, the siblings, the therapists, the friends, the doctors, the teachers or the neighbors. Since 50 percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness appears before the age of 14, not enough is being done to identify, diagnose and help these children and their families. I love when actress Kathy Najimy (as the therapist) says, "Y'all can"t do this alone, it is a family effort". Hopefully the film can help open the door to early intervention, so that mental health becomes regarded as important as physical health! All the actor performances were incredibly realistic, and a special mention to Cheryl Allison as the mom, Noah Silverman as Timothy 14 and David Schallipp as Timothy at 10.

"No Letting Go" is obviously a labor of love. While the film is marvelously made, it just doesn't seem like the most commercial of productions. Instead, it's a film with a strong message and addresses a problem seldom talked about in movies...childhood mental illness.

When the film begins, Timothy is a 10 year-old who is starting to show some serious signs of anxiety--something you just wouldn't expect in a kid his age. His parents take him to therapy but it doesn't really seem to help. Then, the film jumps ahead to age 14. Now Timothy is not only anxious but seriously depressed...and with childhood depression comes a lot of other things, such as anger and unpredictability. The film not only focuses on Timothy but also on his family and how Timothy's precarious mental state effects them all in different ways. His parents' marriage is tense and difficult and his brothers obviously are affected as well. So is there any hope? Of course, as this a film about so much more than just a miserable family.

There is so much I love about this movie. The acting is very nice and most of the folks are faces you won't recognize...which is a plus because this makes them seem like a very real family. The direction by Jonathan Bucari is just amazing and the writing by Bucari and Randy Silverman shows that they know a lot about mental illness and its treatment. Considering I am a trained psychotherapist and have had to deal with mental illness in my own family, I can clearly see that they sure did their research. As a result, they offer a film with many great things to offer...hope for families...awareness of how widespread these problems are...the way it affects friends and neighbors...as well as the ways depression come out in children and teens. All in all, a great message film which not only does a great and beneficial service but is also highly engaging. It also has been taking many awards in the film festival circuit...and justified as the film has so much to offer and is so original. Fortunately, this film will be making its debut in March--so you can see it without the need of going to a film festival!

This film is an honest, gripping portrayal of what it's like to learn that your child has mental illness. As the parents struggle to come to grips with their family's new reality, they face increasing social ostracism from their friends and neighbors. The soccer game scene seemed to be pulled right from my own life. And the siblings' frustration is completely understandable.

Mental illness affects the whole family. Far too many families suffer in shame and silence. Yet "No Letting Go" also offers real hope. With treatment, children can survive and even thrive. I am so grateful for this film--my biggest fear is that the people who need to see it most (those who are not living with this and who continue to blame parents for their children's brain disease) will not see the film.

A really great movie highlighting challenges faced both by the family and the person suffering with a mental health condition.

What is disappointing is the reality of how costly it can be to get the kind of great help as is shown in this movie. I hope this is something that more people can access without the price tag.

Mental health can be a life long struggle, but with the right support one can learn to manage it far better and live a life of quality.

I thought this film as a powerful story of the struggle many people go through with having a family member suffer from Mental Illness. They are people we see every day. I am so happy to see it's success as this subject can never get enough attention. There is still stigma and not enough services and change is needed. The acting was so well done I thought I was watching like a fly on the wall their struggles. Seeing the recovery of this young man was very hopeful as there are enough stories that don't end as well. The reason I believe is again due to stigma and lack of properly funded services. When will we see that Mental Illness are Addiction need to be properly funded and quality professionals need to be appropriately compensated for the hard and often heartbreaking work they do??