Let Him Go
A retired sheriff and his wife, grieving over the death of their son, set out to find their only grandson.
The film box office disappointment against its moderate budget of $21.0M, earning $8.0M globally (-62% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its bold vision within the crime genre.
3 wins & 3 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Let Him Go (2020) reveals strategically placed story structure, characteristic of Thomas Bezucha's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 54 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.1, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Margaret and George watch their son James teaching his young son Jimmy to ride a horse on their Montana ranch - a snapshot of three generations living in harmony on the family homestead.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Margaret drives to town to check on Jimmy and discovers that Lorna, Donnie, and Jimmy have disappeared without a trace - the family she was already worried about has vanished, taking her grandson with them.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to George and Margaret pack the car and deliberately set out on the road to North Dakota to find Jimmy and bring him home - an active choice to leave their world and enter the dangerous territory of the Weboy family., moving from reaction to action.
At 56 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Margaret and George meet Blanche Weboy at the family compound for dinner - a tense confrontation where Blanche makes clear that Jimmy is now a Weboy and they will never give him up. The stakes are raised: this won't be resolved peacefully., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 85 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, During the rescue attempt at the Weboy house, violence erupts. Peter Dragswolf is shot and killed by the Weboys while helping the Blackledges. A mentor figure dies, and the rescue seems to have failed catastrophically with deadly consequences., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 90 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Blanche Weboy and her remaining sons pursue the Blackledges for a final confrontation. Margaret realizes she must fully commit to protecting her family at any cost - she can't go back, only forward. The grandmother becomes the warrior., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Let Him Go's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping Let Him Go against these established plot points, we can identify how Thomas Bezucha utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Let Him Go within the crime genre.
Thomas Bezucha's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Thomas Bezucha films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.4, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Let Him Go takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Thomas Bezucha filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional crime films include The Bad Guys, Batman Forever and 12 Rounds. For more Thomas Bezucha analyses, see Monte Carlo, The Family Stone.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Margaret and George watch their son James teaching his young son Jimmy to ride a horse on their Montana ranch - a snapshot of three generations living in harmony on the family homestead.
Theme
At James's funeral, the preacher speaks about family bonds and how "sometimes we have to let go, and sometimes we have to hold on" - the central question of when to fight for family and when to accept loss.
Worldbuilding
Establishing the Blackledge family life: James dies in a horse accident, his widow Lorna remarries Donnie Weboy, Margaret witnesses Donnie violently striking both Lorna and Jimmy, creating deep concern about her grandson's safety in this new family dynamic.
Disruption
Margaret drives to town to check on Jimmy and discovers that Lorna, Donnie, and Jimmy have disappeared without a trace - the family she was already worried about has vanished, taking her grandson with them.
Resistance
Margaret debates whether to accept the loss or pursue them. George, the retired lawman, is initially reluctant but Margaret is determined. They gather information about the Weboy family, learning they're from North Dakota. George wrestles with whether this is their place to intervene.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
George and Margaret pack the car and deliberately set out on the road to North Dakota to find Jimmy and bring him home - an active choice to leave their world and enter the dangerous territory of the Weboy family.
Mirror World
The Blackledges meet Peter Dragswolf, a Native American rancher who offers them kindness, hospitality, and later crucial help. He represents an alternative to the Weboy family's cruelty - another way of being strong and protective without being violent.
Premise
The journey and investigation: George and Margaret track leads across North Dakota, encounter the Weboy family's reputation for violence and criminality, meet Peter who becomes an ally, and finally locate the Weboy compound where they confront the family matriarch Blanche.
Midpoint
Margaret and George meet Blanche Weboy at the family compound for dinner - a tense confrontation where Blanche makes clear that Jimmy is now a Weboy and they will never give him up. The stakes are raised: this won't be resolved peacefully.
Opposition
The Weboy family actively works against the Blackledges: they're followed and intimidated, George is attacked and beaten by Weboy brothers, they're warned to leave town. The Blackledges regroup with Peter's help and plan a rescue, but the Weboys are always one step ahead.
Collapse
During the rescue attempt at the Weboy house, violence erupts. Peter Dragswolf is shot and killed by the Weboys while helping the Blackledges. A mentor figure dies, and the rescue seems to have failed catastrophically with deadly consequences.
Crisis
In the aftermath of the shootout, Margaret and George process what they've done and lost. They've caused death and destruction. George is badly wounded. They must confront whether their quest to save Jimmy has cost too much, but they now have Lorna and Jimmy with them.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Blanche Weboy and her remaining sons pursue the Blackledges for a final confrontation. Margaret realizes she must fully commit to protecting her family at any cost - she can't go back, only forward. The grandmother becomes the warrior.
Synthesis
The final confrontation where Margaret takes decisive, violent action to stop Blanche and the Weboys permanently. Margaret synthesizes her love for family with the hard lessons George taught her about survival - sometimes protecting family means being willing to do terrible things.
Transformation
Back on the Montana ranch, Margaret watches Jimmy (now safe and home) playing in the same space where we first saw three generations together. She carries the weight of what she's done, but her grandson is free. The family endures, though transformed by violence and loss.