Naman Shrestha
With Troy Scott at the helm, Lifetime’s ‘I’ll Never Let You Go’ is a thriller drama movie that centers on Emily, who grapples with empty nest syndrome when her only daughter, Sophia, enrolls in college and moves out of the house. Her situation is all the more difficult as her relationship with her estranged husband, Tom, is far from ideal. As loneliness creeps in, the art gallery director becomes vulnerable and begins a steamy affair with an artist named Carlo, whom she crosses paths with at her gallery.
Sooner rather than later, Emily realizes that the affair is a mistake. But when she tries to part ways with Carlo, it is too late, as he has become obsessed with her and refuses to let her go. In order to make her stay, the brooding artist threatens to destroy her personal and professional life. Now, Emily must not only protect herself from the obsessed man but also her family. Given the exploration of themes such as obsession and deception in the film, it is natural for the audience to view it as an extension of real life.
I’ll Never Let You Go Has Seemingly Taken Inspiration From Multiple Real-Life Incidents
As per the network, ‘I’ll Never Let You Go’ is inspired by real stories about the contrasting effects of loneliness and obsession. Penned by Alex Wright, the script consists of multiple realistic nuances that are taken from true cases related to obsession and stalking. One of the more recent examples is the case of Jonathan Christmas, who was in a five-month extramarital affair with his colleague, Charlotte Crute. When the latter found out that he was a married man, she broke up with him. Just like Carlo, Jonathan reportedly decided to destroy her personal as well as professional life.
As part of his stalking campaign against her, Jonathan followed her to her workplace and constantly sent romantic cards and gifts. He also ended up visiting her house in Dorset and tortured her by banging the door for half an hour. The stalker also reportedly poked his head through the door’s cat flap. Eventually, Charlotte filed a complaint against him, after which he received an 18-month restraining order. In the realm of cinema, such themes and subjects have been covered numerous times. For instance, the 1992 erotic thriller film, ‘Basic Instinct,’ revolves around the affair between Detective Nick Curran and a writer named Catherine Tramell, who is the prime suspect of the murder case he is investigating.
The obsessive nature of Catherine and an intense relationship with such a deceiving individual threaten to destroy the detective’s life and livelihood. The Paul Verhoeven directorial is a deep dive into the dangerous reality of pursuing such relationships, which come with their fair share of consequences. The destruction caused by extramarital affairs is also portrayed realistically in ‘Closer,’ a 2004 romantic drama starring Natalie Portman and Jude Law. Helmed by Mike Nichols, it revolves around two couples whose relationship becomes complicated when the man from one couple starts an affair with the woman from the other. Similarities in certain traits between the characters of the above-mentioned films and the Lifetime production are quite noticeable, possibly because of the realistic nature of the plots.
Read More: Is Lifetime’s A Stranger’s Child Based on a True Story?
