As "Don't Make Me Go" (2022 release; 109 min.) opens, we are in "California" and are introduced to Max Park, a single dad, and Wally, his 16 yo daughter. Max gets bad news: he is diagnosed with a fatal bone tumor. When his 20 year college reunion is coming up in New Orleans, where Wally's long absent mother will be, Max decides to take Wally on a good ol' fashioned road trip. Wally, who doesn't know about the tumor, reluctantly agrees...
Couple of comments: this is the latest film from actress-turned-director Hannah Marks ("Mark, Mary + Some Other People"), who is still not even 30 yo. Here she brings a road movie of a father struggling to connect with his 16 yo daughter, and in a race against time to right the relationship before it's too late. In and of itself, this could make for an interesting relationship drama, but alas, the script turns out to be quite weak and, worse, riddled with cliches. As a result, I failed to connect emotionally with either of the two lead characters. John Cho (as Max) and Mia Isaac (as Wally) do the best they can but it's simply not enough. Please note that the vast majority of the movie was filmed in New Zealand (Auckland, Christchurch), and indeed the exteriors are quite easy on the eye. But alas, it can't save the movie.
"Don't Make Me Go" premiered on Amazon Prime this past Friday. I had read some good things about this film, and hence was looking forward to this. Let's just say that I was quite disappointed (even though i did stick it out to the end). Of course don't take my words for it, so if you are in the mood for a rad movie featuring a father-daughter relationship 'drama', I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.
