Displaying items by tag: Saskia Reeves

THE OUTRUN

UK/Germany, 2024, 117 minutes, Colour.

Saoirse Ronan, Paapa Essiedu, Freya Evans, Seamus Dillane, Stephen Dillane, Saskia Reeves.

Directed by Nora Fingscheldt.

The Outrun is based on a memoir by Amy Liptrot. It is set mainly in the Orkney Islands, the cinematography immersing the audience in the beauty and wildness of the Islands, the fields and the sheep, the houses, the small town settlements, the majestic cliffs, the North Sea.

This is a story of Rona, and a fine performance by the versatile Saoirse Ronan. She is a young woman who has grown up on the island, exploring the rocks, interest in biology, moving to London to get her degree. However, in London, she is wild, drinking, her relationship with her friend who becomes exasperated with her, her becoming a victim of sexual violence and, finally, asking for help.

The screenplay is not linear which requires the audience to pay attention, moving from the childhood past, working with her father, her mother becoming more desperate and escaping to religion, her father’s drinking and mental breakdown to the life in London and then to her recuperation, AA meetings and her participation, some success, another failure and attempt at freeing herself from alcohol, out in one of the more remote islands of the Orkneys, getting some moral and human support, reconciling with her father, upset and trying to be supportive of her father.

There have been many films about alcoholism, Alcoholics Anonymous, mental illness, desperation. This film is different with its focus on a woman, in her 30s, a character that many younger audiences could identify with – and then challenged by.

1. The title, reference to the cliffs and the sea? Symbolic of Rona and her life, control?
2. The Orkney settings, the landscapes, the cliffs and seascapes, the open countryside, the sheep in the fields, the village, houses, interiors, caravans…? The contrast with London, crowded, streets, accommodation, pubs and clubs? The AA meetings? The musical score, Rona continually listening to music, techno, contemporary, the past?
3. The screenplay, the focus on Rona, in the present, her wild life, her relationships, the violence, and for help, the AA meeting, her struggles, her fall, trying again? The screenplay moving around in time, piecemeal, Rona as a child on the beach, exploring, relationship with her mother and father, her ambitions, study, biology, the wild life in London, its effect on her, returning home, clashes with her mother, working with her father, his moods and collapses?
4. The cumulative effect of the screenplay on the portrait of Rona, as a little girl, with her parents, their clashes, her father’s mental illness, her mother’s religion and friends, Rona not agreeing with the religion, grace at meals, Jesus talk, singing…?
5. Rona, possibilities with her studies, her father’s drinking, mental situation, her being influenced by this? Her life in London, the drinking, her relationship with Daynin, his not being able to sustain it, the later meetings, the affection, his new relationship? Her getting the lift, the attack and the abuse and violence?
6. The AA meetings, the welcome, the prayer, the communication, the jokes and happy spirit, the time passing, her achievement?
7. Her return home, working with her father? Her talents, the job, listening to the sounds of birds, registering their presence or absence? Putting her finger in the alcohol, tasting, the collapse?
8. The decision to go to the island, the friendly people, the house, the pub, the shop, the owner and his talking, memories of his own alcoholism?
9. The Festival, the exuberance, the myths about the Orkney Islands, the animated sequence and mythology?
10. Rona’s relationship with her mother, her mother coming to visit, their talking, frankly, swimming together, the reconciliation?
11. Her father, ringing, his desperation, continued talking, his mania, Rona trying to respond?
12. Her achievement, her contemplation, sitting in the lotus position, coming to terms with herself, nature, some kind of peace – her explaining to her mother about seaweed, ambitions to explore the themes and write her doctorate? Her future?