It's suspense, it's drama, it's film noir de jure. A new Web Series, "Let Go," premiered recently at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland. The seven-episode series (of which the first episode was screened) was two years in the making and stars the charismatic and natural-born star Tennyson Harris (also the executive producer of the series). Under Felix "KeleGod" Igbojionu-Jr's inspired direction, "Let Go" is cinematic dynamite.
Harris' character is Lucas, a man stressed with personal demons, a man who needs space to himself.
Though Lucas has left the "life" of crime, the "life" has not left him. After seven months away from the streets, Lucas has hit the bottle -- hard.
Crime story conventions
Every film noir typically has a dame and a fem fatale. The dame is Erica, Lucas's love match. Erica meets Lucas at his nadir. Actress Melan Perez brought a mixture of loving-kindness and sultriness to her role as Erica. Perez and Harris' chemistry is hot enough to melt the celluloid.
Some people in this world are givers, and others are takers. The not-so-legitimate businessman Dez, played with a dark menace, by series scriptwriter Jeremy C. Y. Butler, is Lucas's erstwhile boss and head of Lucas' highly dysfunctional "family," a family Lucas doesn't want a part of.
Dez considers Lucas a back-stabber.
The femme fatale role is played by the magnificent Brawnlyn Patterson, who's duplicitous character, Selena, has a cozy relationship with Dez-- and a different kind of relationship with someone outside of Dez's "family."
Cohorts in crime
With his scowl and growl, Konstantine James is as good a "heavy" as they come.
With his sharp fedora and perilous pistol, the character James plays, Troy, is Dez's hatchet man.
Kristen Briscoe is splendid in her pivotal role as Dez's Harvard educated accountant Tiffany. Lawrence Griffin is enjoyable to watch as somewhat wifty crime boss Reno, a thorn in the flesh to Dez.
There's entertaining, ongoing, banter between Tekle Ghebremeschel and Danielle-Shani as detectives Markus and Brooks respectively.
Brooks has a penchant for nonsense banter and crunchy snacks.
Igbojionu-Jr, who also served as director of photography, created an urbane, cinematic look for the series. Every frame of the film looks like millions of dollars were thrown at the screen. Assistant director and Line Producer Cheramie Jackson helped sharpen the performances as the acting coach. Filled with grit, action, and tension, "Let Go" is a screen sensation.
