• Release year: 2026
• Director: Arielle Carroll.
• Producers: Timothy J. Cox and Alex Johnson.
• Screenplay by: Timothy J. Cox.
• Cinematography by: Jon Carroll.
• Music by: The Sun Movers.

Shotgun Commentary: simple but wholesome.

Review

Let Dan go is the type of short film that will speak more to some than others, and that is okay. If the world’s events haven’t managed to destroy your empathy entirely at this point, this film, at a larger or smaller level, will speak to you as a human being who has probably dealt with loss before.

The short follows Abby (Ashlee Lawhorn), a woman with the misfortune of dating Dan (Daniel Griesheimer). Dan is an alcoholic, and despite Abby’s attempts to save him, he ends up killing himself one night when he is driving while drunk. As a result, Abby is left to deal with the aftermath of that loss, as is everyone else in Dan’s life. Years later, she meets up with Harry (Timothy J. Cox), Dan’s father, to catch up. They share their thoughts and feelings over the loss of Dan’s death and everything that came with it.

The story is quite simple to follow, and the message is as straightforward as it can be. Which is always refreshing considering the inordinate amount of experimental works about grief that have been made in the last few years. Sometimes a feeling is just what it is. It does not have to be a symphony of abstract shapes and textures. Nor does it have to be an overblown drama with buckets of tears. Sometimes, it is just a conversation. A calm, quiet conversation between two people who, despite their differences, share a feeling: missing a person.

The short captures this simplicity without any pretences. There is you, the camera, and a conversation between two characters. A conversation that you have probably had a million times whenever you catch up with someone or remember a loved one that has passed. It is not particularly memorable; there are no one-liners or sudden moves. As such, it is utterly relatable and profoundly moving. It makes you feel seen. It makes you remember those you have lost along the way and think of those who have shared those grieving moments with you. And above all, it makes you feel grateful for the moments of connection that come after a tragedy. For the people who stick by you and understand you when the dark times come.

Harry is not particularly close to Abby beyond the fact that they both lost the same person. Still, grief has a way to bring people together, even if just for a few short minutes. These kinds of moments remind you that humans are more than just people who argue and go to war. That they can also be kind, empathetic, and present for others. And it is precisely the simplicity of the moment that opens up the floor for this reflection, one that may come to you at the moment of watching this short film in this or any other form depending on your own life experiences.

All in all, Let Dan Go invites you to take a moment. To breathe. To reflect. It reminds you of all those around you, the ones that left and those who are still here. And it gives you the opportunity to think of them and be grateful despite living in a world that seems to encourage people more and more towards hate than it does towards love.

Let Dan Go is on its festival run but will be available for all audiences soon. Thank you for early access!

Advice to take from this movie:

• Do not hesitate to reach out to people when times are tough.
• Do not hesitate to reach out to people when times are not tough but you want to talk to someone.
• Cherish your connections and do not be afraid to make new ones.

What’s your take? Have you watched Let Dan Go? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message on my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀