Run

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! (06/18/2021)

The trailer honestly set me up for a much more thrilling movie! I expected a film that would be nonstop intense from start to finish. But the result fell short! Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad film at all, but… Sarah Paulson was perfect for the role of the mother. A tailor-made role! Kiera Allen also delivered a solid performance as her daughter. The scene in the hospital with the clever plot twist really stuck with me; I did not see that coming. Otherwise, it was a rather average experience (at least the ending was worthwhile). Aneesh Chaganty might be better off sticking to films like Searching (where he really excels). For me, it’s a 6/10. (04/15/2023)

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. (11/29/2020)

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. (12/04/2021)

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. (02/20/2022)