The Outrun

          Most of us have our demons, but how far would you go to try and get rid of them? For some, even taking one step is too much, but others see the pain their demons cause and are willing to do whatever it takes to exorcise them. Amy Liptrot took those steps and then wrote a book about her struggles, which became an instant success and caught the attention of many. One of those people was Saoirse Ronan, who wanted to turn the novel into a movie, starring in it herself, and delivering one of the best performances of her career.

Rona (Saoirse Ronan) has a drinking problem. At first, she’s the life of the party—her friends and boyfriend Daynin (Paapa Essiedu) enjoy the fun times—but the good times don’t last. Eventually, Rona becomes a problem, leading Daynin to leave her because he’s tired of her behavior and her refusal to get help. That breakup causes Rona to return home, where she hopes to get her life together. Once there, she gets little support from her parents—her mother (Saskia Reeves) believes prayer is the solution, and her father (Stephen Dillane) struggles with his own issues, being bipolar. Rona’s initial plan was to return to London after cleaning up, but she soon realizes that it won’t be as quick or easy as she thought.

Written by Amy Liptrot and Nora Fingscheidt, The Outrun, adapted from Liptrot’s book, follows the familiar trajectory of movies about alcoholism, but it’s the way these events are presented that sets it apart. The narrative jumps through different periods in Rona’s life—from her time in London, to being with her parents, and finally to living in a remote house in the Scottish wilderness. At first, this can be a bit confusing, as you wonder who the people are in the different scenes, but it plays like you’re experiencing Rona’s memories, as if you’re inside her consciousness—perhaps that was the intention. Altogether, the family scenes are the film’s strongest, serving as the emotional core of the story.

The Outrun isn’t just a movie about addiction and the family drama it causes—it’s also about one of the hardest things a person can do: forgive themselves. There’s powerful material here, and while the narrative jumps sometimes lessen the impact of Rona’s daily battle with alcoholism, there are still deeply emotional moments. Every feeling is captured through Ronan’s deeply felt performance, as she navigates most of the emotional journey with an impressive tour-de-force. It’s her performance, along with the stunning cinematography of the Scottish islands, that compensates for the film’s occasional missteps. Ultimately, The Outrun is a movie worth witnessing. It’s a portrait of a woman trying to find a way to live with both her past ghosts and her ever present inner demons. It also features one of the best performances you’ll see all year and if the film inspires someone else to try forgiving themselves then, like the book, this is a true success.