''The Outrun'' is a 2024 English-language drama film starring
Saoirse Ronan
Saoirse Una Ronan ( ; born 12 April 1994) is an American-born Irish actress. Primarily known for her work in period dramas, she has received various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, with nominations for four Academy Awards and sev ...
as a woman who returns home to the
Orkney Islands
Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland ...
in Scotland. The film is directed by
Nora Fingscheidt
Nora Fingscheidt ( ) is a German director and screenwriter. She has been a participant of the film festival since 2011 for her short films, winning the prize in 2017 for ''Without This World'' (''Ohne diese Welt'').
She became widely known for ...
based on the 2016 memoir ''
The Outrun
''The Outrun'' is a 2016 memoir by the Scottish journalist and author Amy Liptrot. It is set in Orkney, her childhood home, where she returned to rehabilitate after becoming an alcoholic in London. The book combines nature writing with self-re ...
'' by
Amy Liptrot
Amy Liptrot is a Scottish journalist and author. She won the 2016 Wainwright Prize and the 2017 PEN/Ackerley Prize for her memoir '' The Outrun''.
Biography
Amy Liptrot grew up on a farm in Orkney and studied at the University of Edinburgh. ...
. Fingscheidt wrote the screenplay with Liptrot based on a story they wrote with
Daisy Lewis
Daisy Leonora Frances Lewis (born 31 December 1984) is a British actress, writer, director and producer from London.
Early life
Lewis was born in London and grew up in Dorset. She attended Port Regis School in Shaftesbury, followed by DLD Col ...
. The film is a co-production between the United Kingdom and Germany, and in addition to starring Ronan, it features
Paapa Essiedu
Paapa Kwaakye Essiedu () (born 11 June 1990) is a British actor. He started his career in 2012 when he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, acting in numerous production including ''The Merry Wives of Windsor'' (2012), ''Hamlet'' (2016), and '' ...
,
Nabil Elouahabi
Nabil Elouahabi (born 6 February 1975), often credited as Nabil Elouhabi, is a British-Moroccan actor, known for his role as Tariq Larousi in ''EastEnders'' from 2003 to 2005, as Rashid "Gary" Mahmoon in " Strangers on the Shore" (the 2002 Chris ...
,
Izuka Hoyle
Chantelle Izuka Hoyle (born 18 January 1996) is a Nigerian Scottish actress. She began her career in theatre. Hoyle won a Scottish BAFTA for her performance in the film ''Boiling Point'' (2021). On television, she is known for her roles in the Ch ...
,
Lauren Lyle
Lauren Lyle is a Scottish actress best known for her main role as Marsali MacKimmie Fraser in the Starz television drama '' Outlander'', and peace protester Jade Antoniak in the BBC drama ''Vigil''. Lyle also plays the leading role in the ITV ...
,
Saskia Reeves
Saskia Reeves (born 16 August 1961) is a British actress, known for her roles in films including '' Close My Eyes'' (1991) , ''I.D.'' (1995), and '' Our Kind of Traitor'' (2016), in the 2000 miniseries '' Frank Herbert's Dune'', and in TV seri ...
, and
Stephen Dillane
Stephen John Dillane (; born 27 March 1957) is a British actor. He is best known for his roles as Leonard Woolf in the 2002 film ''The Hours (film), The Hours'', Stannis Baratheon in the HBO fantasy series ''Game of Thrones'' (2012–2015) and T ...
in supporting roles.
The film premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023.
The festival has acted ...
on 19 January 2024. It was released by
StudioCanal
StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., and Canal+ Production and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film & television production and distribution company which is a ...
in the United Kingdom on 27 September 2024 and in Germany on 5 December.
Plot
The story is told in a
non-linear fashion. Rona, a young woman recently out of rehab for alcoholism, returns home to the
Orkney Islands
Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland ...
in Scotland.
Her parents, originally from England, are separated. Staying with them alternately, she helps her father on his farm and meets her mother's religious friends.
In flashbacks, we see Rona's previous life as a biology graduate student in
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, finding freedom in clubbing and meeting a serious boyfriend, Daynin. However, Rona's drinking turns to alcoholism, causing problems in her relationship, and unintentional injury. Eventually, Daynin leaves her. One night, she is attacked while drunk. Soon afterwards, she enters rehab and completes a 90-day sober program.
Back on Orkney, Rona struggles to connect with others. She decides to return to London, but on the ferry, feels an overwhelming urge to drink, and abandons her plan to leave. She takes a job with the
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...
(RSPB), which involves a systematic search for the now-rare
corn crake
The corn crake, corncrake or landrail (''Crex crex'') is a bird in the rail family. It breeds in Europe and Asia as far east as western China, and migrates to Africa for the Northern Hemisphere's winter. It is a medium-sized crake with buff ...
. She listens at assigned hours for its distinctive frog-like call. Rona's father has
bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...
, and when she comes across him in a depressive and non-responsive state, she takes a taste from his abandoned wineglass, leading to a brief relapse.
Soon afterwards, Rona gets a job with the RSPB on the remote
Papa Westray
Papa Westray () (), also known as Papay, is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, United Kingdom. The fertile soilKeay, J. & Keay, J. (1994) ''Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland''. London. HarperCollins. has long been a draw to the island.
...
island, home to a tiny community. Living by herself, she connects with some of the other islanders, including a fellow alcoholic who runs the grocery. Throughout a windy winter on Papa Westray, she develops an interest in seaweed biology and grows healthier. As she prepares to depart that spring, she hears the call of a corn crake for the first time and laughs in delight.
Cast
Production
In January 2022, it was announced
Nora Fingscheidt
Nora Fingscheidt ( ) is a German director and screenwriter. She has been a participant of the film festival since 2011 for her short films, winning the prize in 2017 for ''Without This World'' (''Ohne diese Welt'').
She became widely known for ...
would direct a film adaptation of
Amy Liptrot
Amy Liptrot is a Scottish journalist and author. She won the 2016 Wainwright Prize and the 2017 PEN/Ackerley Prize for her memoir '' The Outrun''.
Biography
Amy Liptrot grew up on a farm in Orkney and studied at the University of Edinburgh. ...
's memoir ''
The Outrun
''The Outrun'' is a 2016 memoir by the Scottish journalist and author Amy Liptrot. It is set in Orkney, her childhood home, where she returned to rehabilitate after becoming an alcoholic in London. The book combines nature writing with self-re ...
'', with
Saoirse Ronan
Saoirse Una Ronan ( ; born 12 April 1994) is an American-born Irish actress. Primarily known for her work in period dramas, she has received various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, with nominations for four Academy Awards and sev ...
set to star and produce, and Fingscheidt and Liptrot writing the screenplay.
Production commenced in
Orkney
Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland, ...
in August 2022. Ronan's husband, actor
Jack Lowden
Jack Andrew Lowden (born 1990) is a Scottish actor. Following a four-year stage career, his first major international onscreen success was in the 2016 BBC miniseries '' War & Peace'', which led to starring roles in feature films. Starring as Riv ...
, also served as one of the film's producers.
In an interview with ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'', Ronan credited Lowden for suggesting the role to her.
Release
StudioCanal
StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., and Canal+ Production and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film & television production and distribution company which is a ...
is the film's distributor in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Austria. The film was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on 27 September 2024, and later in Germany on 5 December. Protagonist Pictures is overseeing worldwide sales for the film, with
CAA Media Finance also selling North American rights. The film was sold to Filmcoopi and Cineworx for Switzerland, Cinéart for Benelux and
Stage 6 Films
Stage 6 Films, Inc. is an American film division of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions that acquires and produces feature films to be released either theatrically, on demand, or through streaming services. Once a film is finished, Sony Picture ...
for all other international territories excluding North America.
On 12 July 2024, Stage 6 was announced to be partnering with sister company
Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics Inc. is an American arthouse film production and distribution company that is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment. It was founded in 1992 by former Orion Classics heads Michael Barker, Tom Bernard and Marcie Bloo ...
on the film's North American release, scheduling it for a theatrical release on 4 October 2024. The movie was released on
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
in the UK and US in February and March 2025.
The film premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023.
The festival has acted ...
on 19 January 2024.
It was also screened at the
74th Berlin International Film Festival
The 74th annual Berlin International Film Festival, usually called the Berlinale, took place between 15 and 25 February 2024 in Berlin, Germany. Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong'o was named the Jury President for the main competition. This ye ...
in the Panorama section, the 77th
Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), established in 1947, is the world's oldest continually running film festival.
EIFF presents both UK and international films (all titles are World, international, European or UK Premieres), in al ...
and the
2024 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival
The 2024 edition of the Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, the 36th edition in the event's history, was held from September 14 to 22, 2024 in Greater Sudbury, Sudbury, Ontario. The first titles in the program were announced on August 1 ...
.
Reception
Critical response
''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' Adrian Horton termed it "a moving and delicate adaptation" that "avoid
dthe many cliches of the cinematic memoir adaptation", and took particular note of "Ronan's good performance". David Rooney of ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' wrote, "Fingscheidt’s third narrative feature continues her visceral explorations of the scarred female psyche" and added that Ronan "puts herself through the physical and emotional wringer" in an "emotionally charged performance".
Alissa Wilkinson in ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' writes that Saoirse Ronan's greatness as an actor is in giving viewers the feeling "that her characters' minds are always working", using her eyes and the slightest of facial expressions to convey, in the case of ''The Outrun'', a cheeky "impishness". Far from the conventional screen handling of addiction, "brash or hyperbolic", Ronan makes the film "into a thing of beauty and hard-won joy."
Accolades
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Outrun (film), The
2024 drama films
2024 films
2024 independent films
2020s British films
2020s English-language films
2020s German films
BBC Film films
British drama films
English-language German films
Films about alcoholism
Films based on memoirs
Films directed by Nora Fingscheidt
Films set in Orkney
Films shot in Scotland
German drama films
Sony Pictures Classics films
Stage 6 Films films
StudioCanal films