Run Review: A Tense Thriller With Some Standout Performances

Release date: November 20, 2020
Running time: 89 minutes
Starring: Sarah Paulson, Kiera Allen
Directed by: Aneesh Chaganty
Written by: Aneesh Chaganty, Sev Ohanian

They say you can never escape a mother’s love... but for Chloe, that’s not a comfort — it’s a threat. There’s something unnatural, even sinister about the relationship between Chloe (newcomer Kiera Allen) and her mom, Diane (Sarah Paulson). Diane has raised her daughter in total isolation, controlling every move she’s made since birth, and there are secrets that Chloe's only beginning to grasp. From the visionary writers, producers and director of the breakout film Searching, comes a suspense thriller that shows that when mom gets a little too close, you need to RUN.

Run is a lot more of a thriller than I anticipated.  The story starts off normal enough, then builds slowly as more and more uncertainty and tension are added.  Like a fire, it starts off relatively small but keeps growing and growing as more information is revealed.  I love how little bits of uncertainty are introduced throughout.  The audience has a little inkling at the start, but everything generally appears to be normal.  However, as the tension builds, you quickly learn that something is not right here.  And once that switch flips, it starts to turn into an exciting thriller.  And this is all helped along by some good, atmospheric music that does a great job increasing the tension when needed.  There isn't a ton of music in this film, but when it is included it does a wonderful job of setting the ton and amplifying the emotions and excitement.

But a lot of the excitement comes from the great performances in Run.  Both Sarah Paulson and newcomer Kiera Allen are fantastic in this film, giving believable, and when needed emotional, performances that really help to sell this.  There aren't that many characters in Run, but the ones we do have are perfectly cast and acted.  And the subtle push and pull between mother (Paulson) and daughter (Allen) is really fun to watch.  And as their relationship changes, there are more subtle and not so subtle hints introduced to the film that affect their dynamic.  The push and pull exists throughout this movie, and it makes for some very exciting moments.

As mentioned, Run is a lot more psychological and thriller than I expected.  The story is well done with a few surprise twists that might catch you off guard.  The film does a great job of seeding some doubt without actually giving away the reveal.  It's not an overly long or complex story, but it is one that is exiting to watch and will keep you engaged as you learn more and more about Diane and Chloe.  And this story is all capped off by a satisfying ending to the whole thing.

Run has some fantastic performances by Paulson and Allen in a tense, psychological thriller that will have you holding your breath and your heart rate running. 

Watch it.

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Run is available to stream on Hulu starting November 20, 2020.