JEANNE’S REVIEW

A magnificent performance by Saoirse Ronan anchors THE OUTRUN, a film written and directed by Nora Fingscheidt based on the best-selling memoir by Amy Liptrot. Set in the breathtaking Orkney Islands of Scotland with a memorable soundtrack by composers John Gurtler and Jan Miserre, Liptrot’s self-examination of alcohol addiction and recovery is, at times, very difficult to watch.

Twenty-nine-year-old Rona (Ronan) returns to the Orkney Islands after living in London for 10 years. Her parents, Annie (Saskia Reeves) and Andrew (Stephen Dillane), are separated. Annie has found religion, something Rona is not at all interested in, and Andrew, who is bipolar, is living in a caravan while still tending his sheep farm where Rona grew up.

THE OUTRUN flashes back to Rona’s life in London, where she was a biology student and enjoyed the wild, alcohol-fueled party scene. She meets and falls in love with Daynin (Paapa Essiedu), who clearly loves her. But after multiple incidents involving her addiction and her efforts to get sober --- which fail --- Rona loses it all, including Daynin.

Even when back with her parents, Rona is unable to stop drinking and relapses. She begins a summer job surveying the elusive corncrake bird which takes her to each of the Orkney Islands. Still, this isn’t enough to quell her urges, so Rona banishes herself to the smaller island of Papay, for an entire winter. The community is welcoming, but

unintrusive. That and the harshness of the environment help set Roan on a path to a sustainable restoration.

Fingscheidt has done an outstanding job adapting Liptrot’s book. Though both Nora and Amy have acknowledged that the director has taken some liberties with the memoir, Amy is very pleased with the results. And most importantly, Ronan’s portrayal of Rona, a name chosen specifically for the movie, is exemplary.

Watching THE OUTRUN, you simply cannot take your eyes off this accomplished actor. One moment she is feral, acting out Rona’s addiction to alcohol with complete abandon, and the next she is birthing a lamb --- a feat Ronan had to spend time learning. It’s a complete and utter immersion into the world of addiction and an honest depiction of the need for strength, hope, love and survival.

Though not directly a ‘member of the cast’, the Isle of Papay plays an important role in THE OUTRUN. Director of Photography Yunus Roy Imer has made this tiny remote piece of land a character by focusing on its incredible beauty, especially the beaches where Rona spends a great deal of time. The winter weather is brutal, and Imer captures the harsh realities of the heavy gales and complete darkness punctuated by Rona’s array of candles in her bird warden cottage.

It’s worth seeing THE OUTRUN just for the stark allure of these Scottish islands. But of course, it is Ronan’s masterful portrayal which is the real reason to see Fingscheidt’s brilliant work, including the very last, very rewarding scene.

Opinion: See It Now!

DAVID’S REVIEW

Saoirse Ronan delivers an electric performance playing Rona, a deeply troubled alcoholic, in THE OUTRUN. She moves from quiet introspective to bouts of loud physicality.

The film is based on the memoir by Amy Liptrot, who  collaborated with director Nora Fingscheidt and Daisy Lewis for the story. She and Fingscheidt are credited with the screenplay.

The movie is exquisitely filmed in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. Cinematographer Yunus Roy Imer showcases the beauty of this part of the world at the top of the United Kingdom. In addition to the pounding surf against the rocks, the film includes Rona interacting with nature to aid in her recovery. Whether she’s swimming with seals or helping to deliver lambs, Ronan’s performance is exceptional.

She tries mightily to reassimilate herself with her separated parents --- her deeply religious mother, Annie (Saskia Reeves), and her bipolar father, Andrew (Stephen Dillane). Rona also has a lover for a while, Daynin (Paapa Essiedu), but he cannot handle her constant drinking.

THE OUTRUN represents a wonderful beacon of change and hope that should resonate with anyone coping with a life crisis. The story is told in non-linear fashion as it jumps around between London and the Scottish islands. London is where Rona honed her drinking “skills”, but realizing the need to get her life together, she isolates herself in a small cottage on a remote island called Isle of Papay.

At times uncomfortable to watch, given the subject matter and the film style, THE OUTRUN is a showcase for Ronan to continue in her realm as a serious and immensely talented actor. According to both Fingscheidt and Liptrot, there was no way to duplicate the complexity of the book, but they managed to capture the essence of Rona’s (named Amy in the book) inner turmoil.

Opinion: See It Now!