REVIEW: Saoirse Ronan Shines in Addiction Drama, ‘The Outrun’
Based on author Amy Liptrot’s 2016 memoir, The Outrun follows Rona (Saoirse Ronan) as she returns to her home in Scotland’s Orkney Islands in hopes of healing after living a troubled life in London. Suffering from alcoholism, the film switches between past and present as it highlights the problems Rona faced while living in London suffering from her addiction to alcohol to her attempting to overcome her addition home in the Orkney Islands. The film is an inside look at how this addiction affects not only the individual, but the people to whom they are closest.
Directed by Nora Fingscheidt, this isn’t a film set out to entertain the audience. Its job is to educate the audience. To give the audience an inside look at Rona’s continuous struggle with alcoholism and her road to recovery. This is a film, like its themes, that is extremely disjointed. The topic of alcoholism and how it affects a person are told in such a way that everything feels fractured. Like the audience is facing their own internal struggle trying to balance everything unfolding on screen. From the storytelling to the cutting back and forth between past and future, this is a film you have to be giving a 100% of your attention to. There is no stepping away or looking at your phone because you will have no idea what is happening.
With that being said, Fingscheidt utilizes the beautiful scenery of the Orkney Islands and the edgy streets of London to help elevate the story. It’s these scenes that help the audience better understand the struggle Rona is facing, and why she chose to return home to heal. The ever changing environment truly showcases the emotions Rona is dealing with and the thoughts that run wild through her head as she learns to heal.
The scenes are made even better by Ronan’s performance. Watching her jump from Rona’s alcohol induced tantrums in one scene to Rona’s more reflective, healing scenes are a masterclass in acting. Very few could have pulled off a role like this and Ronan does it with a natural ease.
The Outrun is not for everyone. This isn’t a feel-good film nor is it a film that is exactly captivating. The film focuses on hard topics that may be too real for some audience members. However, if you are a fan of Ronan, or looking for something different to watch On Demand, then check this movie out.
Grade: B