Don't Make Me Go

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Don't Make Me Go

R

2022

1h 50m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

51%

Tomatometer

65 Reviews

68%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

When single father Max (John Cho) discovers he has a terminal disease, he decides to try and cram all the years of love and support he will miss with his teenage daughter Wally (Mia Isaac) into the time he has left with her. With the promise of long-awaited driving lessons, he convinces Wally to accompany him on a road trip from California to New Orleans for his 20th college reunion, where he secretly hopes to reunite her with her mother who left them long ago. A wholly original and emotional journey, Don't Make Me Go explores the unbreakable, eternal bond between a father and daughter from both sides of the generational divide with heart and humor along for the ride.

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Critics Consensus

John Cho and Mia Isaac are an appealing pair of leads, but Don't Make Me Go is one road trip movie that follows an overly familiar path.

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

John Cho is wonderful, but Mia Isaac is just excellent in this movie.

Jul 22, 2022

Full Review

Sarah-Tai Black

Los Angeles Times

There is a line between narrative comfort and lack of imagination and, unfortunately, “Don’t Make Me Go” too frequently occupies the latter space.

Jul 15, 2022

Full Review

Brian Tallerico

RogerEbert.com

It's easy to take the ride with Max and Wally because of the two performers who bring them to life.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 15, 2022

Full Review

Joseph Tomastik

Loud and Clear Reviews

I appreciate Don’t Make Me Go for at the very least taking such a big risk ... Even though the whole package doesn’t work, there are still things within it to take away.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 6, 2024

Full Review

Jericho Tadeo

MovieWeb

Don't Make Me Go takes a sharp turn into what feels like drama for the sake of drama.

Jul 12, 2024

Full Review

Joonatan Itkonen

Toisto.net

Don’t Make Me Go doesn’t just follow the guidebook on how these types of films are made, it adamantly refuses to make even the slightest detour from the established formula.

Rated: 1/5

Jul 3, 2024

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Stephen C

This movie sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/27/25

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Kyle M

Familiar route with distinctive heartened, feel-good sights and empathetically attempted heft till it unexpectedly gone into a subversive direction, this filmic road trip is formulaically fueled and well-stirred by the pair’s performatively bonded charisma. (B)

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/30/24

Full Review

Audience Member

The movie had mad potential, but all the kids these days seem to suck, and the kid in this story is no exception. With better writing, and some better direction in her acting the movie might actually be one of the greats. The good parts feel rushed, and the whole movie feels like so much wasted potential. I am rating the movie lower than I think it deserves to knock the audience score down a little, it's a mediocre film, it should have a mediocre score. The worst part about the movie is that they pretend that the teenager has any wisdom. She is a dumb teenager figuring things out, parents have the wisdom as wisdom comes with age.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/21/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Kinda caught me off guard and sad ngl 3.8

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/12/23

Full Review

Steve C

It was standard fayre road movie until the twist that seems to divide the critics. The twist made it less comfortable, but more memorable/impactful as a movie. The leads have good chemistry and despite some trite and frustrating script in places, they are easy to connect with, which helps deliver the emotional pay-off, such as it is.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/30/22

Full Review

ian r

Don't Make Me Go is okay. I didn't expect the twist. I'm not sure I liked the twist. It's not a film I'll rewatch. Midnight Sun (Bella Thorn one) covers the same ground much better. It'll give your eyeballs a good wash. Don't Make Me Go probably won't. It didn't for me.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Hannah Marks

Director

John Cho

Max Park

Mia Isaac

Wally Park

Mitchell Hope

Rusty

Jemaine Clement

Dale Angelo

Stefania Owen

Sandra

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Don't Make Me Go: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

When single father Max (John Cho) discovers he has a terminal disease, he decides to try and cram all the years of love and support he will miss with his teenage daughter Wally (Mia Isaac) into the time he has left with her. With the promise of long-awaited driving lessons, he convinces Wally to accompany him on a road trip from California to New Orleans for his 20th college reunion, where he secretly hopes to reunite her with her mother who left them long ago. A wholly original and emotional journey, Don't Make Me Go explores the unbreakable, eternal bond between a father and daughter from both sides of the generational divide with heart and humor along for the ride.

Director: Hannah Marks
Producer: Donald De Line, Leah Holzer, Peter Saraf
Screenwriter: Vera Herbert
Production Co: De Line Pictures, Big Beach Films, Amazon Studios
Rating: R (Some Sexual Content|Language|Graphic Nudity|Teen Drinking)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 15, 2022
Runtime: 1h 50m

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