“Don’t Make Me Go”, a great heartfelt story to watch this fall!

     Don’t Make Me Go, directed by Hannah Marks, has a respectable cast starring John Cho, Mia Issac, and Kaya Scodelario. Marks tells the story of a sick father and rebellious daughter who take a memorable road trip. The heartfelt storyline and emotional acting are what make Don’t Make Me Go an unforgettable movie. 

    In Don’t Make Me Go, Max (played by John Cho) has recently been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Given this information, he decides to take his angsty teenage daughter Wally, (played by Mia Issac) to his college reunion via road-trip where she will meet her absent mother. Throughout the course of their road-trip, Max agrees to teach Wally to drive while they strengthen their relationship. As the two travel across the country, Wally is completely oblivious to her father’s illness that is seemingly getting worse. The father-daughter banter makes for an entertaining road trip. 

     Mia Isaac, who plays Wally, is only 18 years old but has already starred in two movies that debuted this year. Her young age helps bring authenticity to Wally’s character. John Cho does an amazing job channeling his inner father in order to play Max. His veteran acting abilities allow him to pour his soul into his emotional scenes. The chemistry between Mia Isaac and John Cho produces an intense and a priceless performance.

     The cinematography of Don’t Make Me Go is much more subtle than the acting but nonetheless impactful. Jaron Peasant uses faint coloring to depict the emotions of each scene. In the beginning and middle of the movie, the scenes consist of warmer tones to represent the happy and oblivious vibe of the road-trip. Darker colors and filters are used in the moments following the climax of the reunion. A jazzy soundtrack which includes songs from The Strokes, Chicano Batman, and New Orleans jazz perfectly fits the nostalgic feeling of this movie. A movie is ten times better when the soundtrack is great. 

     Don’t Make Me Go scored a considerably low 51% on Rotten Tomatoes. This can be partly due to the apparent and shocking ending that leaves viewers with an open mouth. I personally enjoyed this movie because of the sincere storyline and great soundtrack. I also could relate to Wally trying to learn how to drive and trying to rekindle your relationship with your father. I recommend this movie to those who wish to laugh, smile, and cry at the same movie. Don’t Make Me Go is overall a great movie everyone should watch.