Don't Make Me Go: Film Review

Cast: John Cho, Mia Isaac, Kaya Scodelario, Josh Thomson, Jemaine Clement
Director: Hannah Marks

"You're not going to like the way this story ends, but I think you're going to like this story."

The opening voiceover from Hannah Marks' easy-going exploration of the unbreakable bond between a father and his daughter sets the tone - especially if you know the premise involves John Cho's single father Max discovering he has an apparently fatal brain tumour.

So when Max is told the shocking news, he sets out to find his estranged wife, knowing his daughter Wally (Isaac, natural and compelling to watch) won't have anyone else to turn to once he's dead. But obstacles lie in the way for Max - chiefly that his former wife has never met Wally before, and also that Wally doesn't want to go on this journey, forced upon her by a father who's determined to bestow life lessons without explaining why.

The classic antagonistic road trip set up is something that's no real surprise in Don't Make Me Go. Coupled with teenage daughter rebellion, sexting boys and prospective no good partners on the way, all of the tropes of the classic quarrels are laid bare and used for good measure along the way.

However, where Don't Make Me Go elevates itself from the relatively usual fare of the road trip conventions is due largely to the naturalistic and easy performances from both Cho and Isaac. Their coupling feels natural, and their bond feels earned, lived-in and never false. It's a good thing for Marks as she embarks on this relatively formulaic journey that her protagonists do much to elevate the material beyond its usual expected edges.

While its ending may defy some belief and feel more than a little polarising, Don't Make Me Go's chief beats are laid out with care and consideration by those involved - it may be a corny ride in parts, but thanks to the genuine and nuanced performances of Isaac and Cho, it's a journey that's just about worth taking.

Don't Make Me Go streams on Prime Video from July 15.