“The Outrun”: Journey of Healing

When I heard about the film The Outrun, I was curious. I like films set in the United Kingdom and I thought the premise sounded compelling, especially a film about trying to heal. After watching it, I found that while it does meander at times, it truly is a journey of healing for the character, a story that will resonate with many people.

“The Outrun” is a drama film directed by Nora Fingscheidt from a screenplay she co-wrote with Amy Liptrot from the memoir of the same name by Liptrot. In the film, Rona (Saoirse Ronan) has been living life on the edge in London. She’s alienated her boyfriend Daynin (Paapa Essiedu) and so in order to heal, she attempts to come to terms with her troubled past by returning to where she grew up, in Scotland’s Orkney Islands. While staying with her mother Annie (Saskia Reeves) and helping her father Andrew (Stephen Dillane) on his farm, she hopes to heal.

One of the aspects that the film deals with very well is Rona’s struggles with alcoholism. For anyone who deals with addiction, this film depicts it with authenticity, kindness, and honesty. From the very beginning, we know that Rona is recovering from alcoholism and her journey of healing starts with her accepting this. What is compelling is that the film shows why and how she struggles with her addiction, weaving in biology facts and myths about the Orkney Islands, to create a journey for Rona, one where she learns how to heal day by day.

As the film progresses, we see more of how her childhood impacts Rona especially in her interactions with her father and mother. The emotional ups and downs as the family deals with her father being bipolar certainly has an effect on her adult behavior and her addiction. The pain she feels is beautifully portrayed in her performance but also her interactions with others. It is not a straightforward story but it shows her journey and how she has to learn new ways to cope, to create boundaries for herself with others.

The cinematography for this film is breathtaking. The ocean views are majestic and truly highlight the beauty of the Orkney Islands. While the area is shown to be more remote, the film also illustrates the positive aspects of the area, including the wildlife and the healing quality of nature. As the film progresses, we even see how much Rona remembered of where she grew up, her memories incorporating into her time in London, as she transposes parts of the Orkney Islands for her everyday surroundings as her addiction overwhelms her and causes her to hallucinate. This blend creates a unique vision.

It is the performances that truly make this film beautiful, especially Saoirse Ronan. Ronan is spectacularly vulnerable and emotionally compelling in this film. She invokes the pain of Rona and deftly portrays the journey that Rona must take in order to heal. She is the highlight of this film and her performance is stellar. Stephen Dillane is excellent as her father Andrew and Saskia Reeves is warm and dynamic as her mother Annie. Paapa Essiedu is powerful as her boyfriend Daynin as we see the dynamics of their relationship amongst her addiction.

The film’s narrative is meandering, however, moving back and forth through Rona’s memories. While this does depict her addiction authentically, it does make the story harder to follow, particularly in the first third of the film. Once the film’s timeline is more focused on the present, the story becomes much easier to follow. And the ending of the film is beautiful as Rona revels in an ocean view.

If you like films that are full of compelling drama and emotional vulnerability, I do recommend The Outrun. The performances, in particular Saoirse Ronan, are spectacular and the ending is fantastic. If you step on the road with the character of Rona, you will appreciate her journey of healing and the beautiful landscape that aids her in her recovery. The film is authentic, emotional and honest. Even with the wandering storyline, the narrative cuts to what is most important; Rona’s pain and her healing. It is worth taking that journey with her.