Mitchell Kaplan produces film ‘Let It Go,’ and you can see it now
No matter what you’re buying in this pandemic year, “shop local” has become something of a mantra.
That goes for movie tickets as well. And this weekend you can buy tickets to see a new film from the owner of one of Miami’s most beloved local businesses
“Let It Go,” starring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, opens Nov. 6 at Coral Gables Art Cinema — directly across the street from Books & Books, owned by one of its producers, Mitchell Kaplan.
The film, based on the novel by Larry Watson, is about a retired Montana sheriff (Costner) and his wife (Lane) who try to rescue their grandson from a dangerous family living off the grid.
“I loved the fact it was basically a love story between two mature people and a road movie at the same time, plus it’s also a thriller, which gives it more of a wonderful kick,” says Kaplan.
This is the fourth feature film for Kaplan’s production company, The Mazur Kaplan Company, which he runs with his partner Paula Mazur. The company’s other films are “The Man Who
Invented Christmas,” “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” and “All the Bright Places,” all of which began their lives as books, too.
Reviews of the new film have been positive. The New York Times wrote that the film had “uncommon stealth” and called it a “terrifying thriller.” The Washington Post also praised the film and its stars, including Lesley Manville, who plays the matriarch of a rural family (Manville, Kaplan confirms, “is a kick”).
Still, releasing a movie during a pandemic is not easy, Kaplan says, crediting studio Focus Features for its attention to details leading up to the release. The film, originally scheduled for August, will open on 2,500 screens this weekend in theaters operating at 25 or 50 percent capacity.
Health and safety the audience is also a priority for Coral Gables Art Cinema, he says.
“They’ve really done an excellent job in making it safe,” he says. “You can’t take your mask off at your seat, and they’re taking seats away for social distancing. I feel very comfortable inviting people to come see it.”