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Sunday, September 29, 2024

'The Outrun' Reviews: Saoirse Ronan Emerges as an Oscar Frontrunner

         On October 4, 2024, Sony Pictures Classics releases 'The Outrun', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 77% on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a Critics Consensus that reads, "Benefiting from Saoirse Ronan's deeply committed performance in the central role, The Outrun proves a moving portrait of addiction in spite of its somewhat shapeless narrative." In the film, "Rona, fresh out of rehab, returns to the wild Orkney Islands after more than a decade away. As she reconnects with the dramatic landscape where she grew up, memories of her childhood merge with the more recent challenging events that have set her on the path to recovery." The ensemble cast includes Paapa Essiedu, Lauren Lyle, Stephen Dillane, and Saskia Reeves. But what did the critics say? 

       Maureen Lee Lenker of Entertainment Weekly notes, "Ronan, cast against the backdrop of the sublime, evocative Orkney Island landscapes, elevates the film to a moving tale of overcoming one's demons and learning to savor life as it comes." Adding, "In the 30-year-old Irish actress' nearly 20-year career, it's hard to find fault with a single performance even in imperfect films. In The Outrun, she racks up another stellar credit as recovering alcoholic Rona. The film, based on the 2016 memoir by Amy Liptrot, marks Ronan's debut producerial effort — and it's a highly personal project for her as well. That's evident in the pain and ferocity she brings to Rona, who we meet in the midst of the bender that finally convinces her to go to rehab."

       Emma Simmonds of The List says, "A four-time Oscar nominee and she’s still only 30, actress Saoirse Ronan has shown the breadth of her talent across comedies, period pieces and action. In The Outrun, from director Nora Fingscheidt, she tackles the challenging territory of addiction, playing alcoholic Rona, and, as ever, she’s sensational. Based on Amy Liptrot’s memoir and set on the Orkney Islands, the film is a vivid portrait of redemption and rebirth, and a love letter to the rugged Scottish landscape."

       Alistair Ryder of Vague Visages was less impressed, stating, "If the aim was to get audiences to recognize that alcohol abuse doesn’t necessarily mean drinking yourself to death, then there's an importance to its approach. But what makes for a striking drug awareness campaign doesn’t make for a rewarding drama."

Photo by Martti Salmi on Unsplash
       Amber Wilkinson of Eye for Film praises the film, stating, "There are plenty of directors who show off their style and verve but arguably we don’t celebrate those who take tricky subject matter and present it in a way that is artistic but also looks effortless. Nora Fingscheidt definitely deserves to receive plaudits in that regard as she immerses us immediately and completely in the headspace of Rona (Saorise Ronan), a recovering alcoholic, who has brought the memories of the past home with her from London to her family’s farm on the Orkney Islands as she tries to get her life back on track. Based on the memoir by Amy Liptrot, who shares adaptation duties with Fingscheidt, this, just as most people’s recovery from alcoholism, is not a linear story, but one in which the traumas of the past intertwine with the challenges of the present. It rests on a performance from Ronan that moves seamlessly between Rona’s various emotional states - her character may rarely be grounded but we always know exactly where we are with her."



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