Family life can be chaos. It can be arguments and everyone not liking the same dinner and forgetting something important for a special occasion. But it can also be love and laughter and everyone pulling together in the same direction. Writer / director (and lead actor) Josephine Bornebusch manages to capture all of this, quite perfectly, in the new Netflix drama, Let Go (Släpp Taget).

The film opens, dryly, with Gustav (Pål Sverre Hagen) telling a middle-aged couple who to communicate better with each other; how to recapture that spark they must have once felt. His voice is whispering, almost sing-song as he guides them through their therapy session. He returns home to find his wife, Stella, (Bornebusch) and teenage daughter Anna (Sigrid Johnson) in the middle of an epic screaming match whilst his son, Manne, (Olle Tikkakoski) is refusing to eat a specific type of pasta. The house is full of noise and anger and hurt. It is in amongst this that he drops his own personal bombshell. Quietly, he tells Stella that he would like a divorce. She replies that they can discuss it again in two weeks, once their daughter has performed in her pole dancing competition.

From there, the film is centred around the competition. The family have to travel together to Skåne so that Anna can compete. She is still seething at her mother. Manne is clingy and has serious food allergies. Stella and Gustav are barely on speaking terms but are forcing a smile for the sake of their children. Tension is simmering in every space they occupy. Bornebusch’s writing, coupled with both her and Sverre Hagen’s performances, perfectly encapsulate this bubbling resentment. Fights become entire laundry lists of accusations. Everything feels laced with bitterness and personal attacks – these are two people loaded with pent up fury but, conversely, still a lot of love for each other.

Bornebusch is utterly compelling as co-lead. Her exhaustion is palpable. We watch her mentally reciting to-do lists and struggling to keep her family together. She is the one who does all of the planning and the execution. Without her, suitcases containing dance costumes are left behind at the airport and Manne ingests something he isn’t supposed to. She is the glue and you can see how much that both fulfils and terrifies her. When Gustave begs Stella to get angry at him for his divorce request, she cannot even summon the energy to do that. Her response is so powerful in its ‘lack of’.

Sverre Hagen plays perfectly against Bornebusch. His character is initially so frustrating in his passiveness but the arch that he experiences during the film is something truly touching to behold. Sigrid Johnson is excellent as Anna, a young girl teetering between childhood and adulthood, desperate to express who she really is. Johnson gives so much more than your typical bratty teenager, here, and it will be exciting to see where her career goes. Tone Danielsen makes an adorable appearance as Astrid, Gustav’s mother, who promises vegetarian Anna that her meat stew is fine to eat as it’s “only small pieces”. The relatability of such a comment will no doubt make many viewers laugh.

Let Go is a very quiet and tender film, despite its serious subject matter. There are moments of anger, frustration, helplessness, humour and joy. It is the mundanity of family life – and all its complexities – laid bare. Stella and Gustav feel somewhat functional in their dysfunction. It is an emotionally raw and very authentic feeling insight into everyday life. “What happened to us? How did we get here?” a tearful Gustav asks. “I suppose I got stuck in this mum role,” Stella sighs. It’s a very honest conversation about what it feels like to be in a long-term relationship, juggling kids and their various needs, and not being able to put yourself (or each other) first. Again, Bornebusch’s writing really is the star here. The film is so well paced and every interaction feels credible and relatable.

As the film quietly veers into its third act, many more emotions come to the surface. This is a family on the brink but who also appreciate each other. It’s complicated but beautiful to watch. As their dynamic – both as a couple and as a family – changes, what we see is heartfelt but never cheesy or cliched. (But, as a side note, you will definitely need the tissues to watch this film. It may even make you want to hug your loved ones a little tighter.)

Let Go is a fantastically well written and well acted family drama that really underlines how life as you know it can be swept away at any moment. It will keep you engaged right up until the credits roll. There are moments of pure joy and tenderness, mixed with tragedy and division. The characters are well-fleshed out and entirely believable, ensuring the film is strong in message and delivery.

Let Go will be available on Netflix from the 1st November