Run

I was really looking forward to Run and I'm satisfied, the only thing that disappoints me is that a lot of interesting scenes from the trailer were cut in the film for unknown reasons. However, of the pure thrillers this year, Run is undoubtedly one of the best. The film is built around two female characters, who are played to perfection. Sarah Paulson and Toni Collette are perhaps the only female actresses I like because of how they act and not because of their looks, and here they give their typical psycho performance that is more than a little unnerving. Kiera Allen as the daughter is also very believable and above all intelligent. I liked that Run doesn't wait for much and builds up an uncomfortable atmosphere from the start. There are some solid twists and interesting ideas, I was constantly in suspense as to how it would all play out, and I'm pleased with the denouement as well. Aneesh Chaganty has once again made a decent film. I had a great time. Story****, Action>No, Humor>No, Violence**, Entertainment****, Music****, Visuals****, Atmosphere****, Suspense****. 8/10. (21.11.2020)

Run would have worked better as a 50-minute episode of Bad Moms. As a feature-length film, it completely lacks an opening introduction of the characters and their initially healthy mother/daughter relationship. It immediately starts off with suspicions and deteriorating trust. Psychologically, the film thus works miserably, pulled forward only by suspenseful scenes according to classic genre templates. It’s not boring, but it doesn’t come anywhere close to fulfilling its potential. (04.12.2021)

Earlier this year I saw the nicely edited trailer for Run, the story looked familiar and predictable, but the name of Aneesh Chaganty, the director of the excellent Searching, made me believe in it, and I told myself: “I’m sure he’ll come out with a shocking twist, it’ll be great, like his début”. But alas. Run is well made, it’s tense and with good performances and it makes you invested in the heroine, it’s also well written, so the behaviour of the characters doesn’t make you shake your head in disbelief, but what’s the point when it all goes exactly in the direction that everyone can figure out already after reading the synopsis or watching the trailer. It still deserves thumbs up, though, everything is where it should be, but that’s all there is to it, and it’s not enough if we consider the sum of all the talent on screen. (29.11.2020)

After reading the synopsis, Run reminded me of the TV series The Act and the classic film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, although I haven't seen either (yet), so it's nothing new in terms of story. Acting-wise, it is handled well ("Lana Banana" knows how to portray unstable characters) and it even managed to make me tense a few times. Yet I felt that a little more could have been wrung out of the premise to make this "toxic maternal love story" more intense at the end. Better three stars! (18.06.2021)

A very good King adaptation, but one that is not by King. The film is gripping, and the performances of the reliably great Sarah Paulson and debutant Kiera Allen contribute to this, as does the brisk script with no room for boredom, or the direction, which doesn't need lavish shots and makes the most of the minimum by perhaps "only" showing us an important thing a few seconds later than the protagonist. (20.02.2022)