'Run' Review
PG-13: Disturbing thematic content, some violence/terror, and language
Runtime: 1 Hr and 30 Minutes
Production Company: Lionsgate
Distributor: Hulu
Director: Aneesh Chaganty
Writers: Aneesh Chaganty, Sev Ohanian
Cast: Sarah Paulson, Kiera Allen
Release Date: November 20, 2020
They say you can never escape a mother’s love… but for Chloe, that’s not a comfort — it’s a threat. There’s something unnatural, even sinister about the relationship between Chloe (newcomer Kiera Allen) and her mom, Diane (Sarah Paulson). Diane has raised her daughter in total isolation, controlling every move she’s made since birth, and there are secrets that Chloe’s only beginning to grasp. From the visionary writers, producers and director of the breakout film Searching, comes a suspense thriller that shows that when mom gets a little too close, you need to RUN.
Back in 2018, writer/director Aneesh Chaganty burst onto the scene with the indie-turned-blockbuster hit Searching, a fresh mystery-thriller presented from a completely digital perspective that put viewers on a cinematic rollercoaster ride with every tablet, laptop, and iPhone imaginable. Searching racked up $75 million at the box office. The handful of viewers who didn’t like it criticized the visual presentation as gimmicky — and it was! Luckily, the effective, well-written script and incredible leading performance by John Cho compensated for it. Now, Chaganty is back with his sophomore feature Run, a suspense-thriller that showcases his range as a filmmaker.
No, this movie is not an adaptation of the badass AWOLNATION song, but it definitely should’ve been used in the credits.
There is an admirable, nostalgic flair to Run that few movies of this genre can accomplish these days. Aside from Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite, modern-day suspense-thriller features often falter from a tone that’s either too serious or too campy. Films such as The Girl on the Train, Serenity, The Snowman, and Disturbia could be used as examples of this. Run has the perfect balance of campiness in its set-pieces while being committed enough to keep you invested in its premise. Chaganty provides all the ingredients of what I consider a strong suspense-thriller: a grounded premise featuring a fresh perspective that is rooted in relatable fears, a balanced, consistent tone, and a killer lead who gives a stellar performance.
Sarah Paulson is doing what she does best: being an unbridled force of nature who can deliver a deranged, captivating performance that gives you chills. She’s basically playing Karen with a bit of Mother Gothel, in case you’re wondering how overprotective and psychotic her character is. She’s Sarah fucking Paulson, she’s badass like that. However, the truth of the matter is that Run is Kiera Allen’s show. Allen truly delivers a powerful performance in her debut feature role. For her to be able to keep up with an experienced actress like Paulson is undeniably impressive.
The movie begins by listing all of the medical issues afflicting 17-year-old Chloe Sherman (Kiera Allen). From that moment, you’re conditioned to side with her overprotective mom who does everything in her power to prevent her wheelchair-bound bird from leaving the nest as she waits for college admissions to arrive so she can start her life. As Chloe stumbles upon one of her prescribed pills labeled with her mother’s name instead of hers, she starts to wonder what other secrets are being kept from her.
What makes Run work so well is its fresh perspective of presenting a (mostly) grounded suspense-thriller with a disabled lead. It’s written in a respectful manner that never paints Chloe as a victim due to her disabilities and medical conditions, but more so a victim of her toxic upbringing. Chloe faces so many disadvantages and a major part of the intensity is seeing how, or if, she’ll be able to escape Diane.
The film has a tense and unnerving atmosphere, largely due to the shot composition. While being a completely original movie that stands on its own, Run is very much a suspense-thriller that harkens back to the Hitchcock days with the level of detail in its production and how well-paced it is. For God’s sake, there’s a character named Mrs. Bates, so the influence is glaringly obvious.
Aneesh Chaganty does a great job behind the camera as he gradually builds up the tension. It works for the entire first hour of the 90-minute runtime. As far as the screenplay goes, there are so many contrived conveniences that are used as devices to keep the film moving. When the inevitable twist hits, it loses impact, for it makes you ask a plethora of questions that I cannot get into because they could be considered spoilers.
While the third act is effective, the last five minutes of the film are a muddled mess that backtracks on Chloe’s arc. It leaves a sour taste in your mouth and feels like it was tacked on last-minute because the original ending didn’t do well with test audiences. I had such a great time watching Run until its unfortunate conclusion.
I was initially going to give this film a 3-star rating for being a short, fun, and well-executed suspense-thriller despite its glaring flaws, but Sarah Paulson’t raised my rating. Her performance is that captivating and she often gave me chills with her dead-eyed stare and psychotic glimmer. She’s really become a master of her craft throughout the years thanks to her constant appearances in creepy, horror-based Ryan Murphy projects. Even though Run is not necessarily memorable, it feels fresh and provides a nostalgic atmosphere, for it captures the feel of a classic ‘70s suspense-thriller. I wonder how it’d play with a black-and-white filter. Oooh, that would be nice.
