The Outrun

After spending more than a decade away from her home in the Orkney Islands of Scotland, Rona decides to finally come home once she is checked out of rehab for alcoholism. Hoping to come to terms with her troubled past, Rona tries to reconnect with the dramatic landscape of the place where she grew up.  

And those landscapes are definitely dramatic. I honestly don’t know anything about Scotland - since I haven’t done much traveling in my life yet - but this movie made the Orkney Islands look incredibly beautiful. So, if I ever do get the chance to do some touring, I wouldn’t mind paying a little visit to this beautiful island one day. 

But Rona is doing more than just sightseeing; she's trying to heal. After spending time living life on the edge in London, her return home is meant to act as a spiritual journey of sorts. She's not only trying to reconnect with her home, she's trying to recover a lost piece of herself. 

So The Outrun is a tender little film about recovery. One that reminds us of the role that nature can play in our recovery process. It can soothe our soul. It can lift our spirits. It can be pretty to look at. And that's exactly why I make it a point to go on walks and bike rides whenever I have time; it's beneficial for my own mental health, especially since I spend a lot of time indoors and on a computer. But Rona's situation is a tad bit more serious than mine.

It was hard watching Rona trying to put her life back together. Her alcoholism caused problems with her relationships, led to serious unintentional injuries, and had a negative effect on her entire life. And her struggles don't stop after she gets out of rehab. Rona is constantly fighting the urge to drink. Much like as it would be in real life, her sobriety is always being challenged. So, watching her deal with those challenges did make for a sad and heartbreaking movie. One that did feel uncomfortably real at times. 

Thankfully, Saoirse Ronan does a great job of keeping the story engaging. Which isn't surprising, given how she is an incredibly talented actress, but this is probably one of the best performances of her career. The fact that she carries the entire movie on her back is also undeniably impressive. But Ronan is a fantastic lead actress and she definitely deserves to be headlining more projects. 

That being said, I'm not sure if this is a movie that I'll ever rewatch again. Don't get me wrong, The Outrun is a beautiful little film about recovery, but the depressing tone and the realistic depiction of the subject matter did make the movie a bit difficult for me to watch at times. But I'm sure plenty of other people will find the story to be deeply resonating.

I may have some personal issues with it, but I can't deny the fact that this is a good film. One that is unquestionably well-made. So, while I wasn’t familiar with director Nora Fingscheidt’s work before, I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what her next project may be. Especially since she told a profoundly human story that features some truly gorgeous visuals with this movie.

Meaning that, regardless of if I ever watch it again, The Outrun would still get a mild recommendation from me.