Film Fridays: "Run" Movie Review

Editor’s Note: This review contains spoilers. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of The Collegian.

"Run" has been on my radar since I learned that Aneesh Chaganty was attached to direct the film. His first film, "Searching," which won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, was one of my favorite films of 2018. "Searching" was set entirely on computer screens and smartphones, similar to the 2014 film, “Unfriended,” and Chaganty was able to tell a thrilling story through this unconventional method, without it ever feeling gimmicky.

"Run" is a much more conventional film. The premise revolves around a disabled teenager who begins to suspect that her mother, who homeschools her and takes care of her, is keeping a dark secret from her. 

The disabled teenager is played by Kiera Allen, who uses a wheelchair in real life, which adds to her character's authenticity. It is not often for films to cast real-life disabled people, and I give props to the casting director for getting this one right. 

Allen is a stand-out, and I can not believe that this is her first film. She is going to be a star in the next few years. 

Sarah Paulson, of "American Horror Story" and "Ratched" fame, plays her mother and owns the role. In my opinion, Paulson is one of the best actresses working today, and she always nails the sneakily sinister roles. 

"Run" kept me hooked from the start. It has a tight 90 minute run time, and the film never hits a slow point. The editing was a stand out for me, as the film was perfectly paced, keeping me on the edge of my seat for the entire run time. 

There were numerous twists and turns that kept me guessing, and the direction the film went really sold me. My one gripe with the film's run time is that I was left wanting a little bit more in the character development and exposition department. The film relies on Paulson and Allen to carry the film, and it would have been nice to learn a little bit more about their characters before the plot kicked in. 

I noticed a similarity between “Run” and the 2019 Hulu miniseries “The Act,” which focused on an overprotective mother who takes care of her disabled daughter. Personally, I think “Run” stood out between the two as it kept the mystery and suspense going throughout the whole run time and had more of an unpredictability factor to it. “The Act,” though, was based on a true story and “Run” is not.

The film was originally meant to go to theatres, but I think the studio made a smart decision to put the film on a streaming service. These types of films are rare nowadays, and most of them fail. "Run" was an exception, and if you are looking for an intriguing mystery/thriller, I would recommend it. The film is now streaming on Hulu.

Contact contributor Miles Goldman at miles.goldman@richmond.edu.