Film Review – The Outrun

Saoirse Ronan is an extremely talented actress who hasn’t really enjoyed a meaty part in many years. She’s been very good in terrible movies (“Foe”) and enjoyable in goofy ones (“See How They Run”), but Ronan returns to a significant acting challenge in “The Outrun,” which is an adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s 2015 memoir. It’s a tale of addiction, studying a young woman’s reaction to newfound sobriety as she tries with all her might to secure something of a future for herself after years of self-destruction. Temptation for showiness is there, but co-writer/director Nora Fingscheidt (“The Unforgivable”) strives to make this journey emotional and often internalized, giving Ronan room to feel out the prickly edges of the character as she navigates waves of disappointment. “The Outrun” is tough, dealing with hard realities and troubling relationships, but there’s a strong human side to the story, and Ronan is part of an excellent cast working to articulate delicate interactions and abyssal feelings. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com