The Outrun excels as an acting showcase for Saoirse Ronan yet leaves something to be desired as a whole. If not for the central performance, it would likely blend in with numerous other films about addiction. To director Nora Fingscheidt’s credit, her adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s memoir isn’t without a few unique artistic touches. Liptrot, who co-wrote the screenplay with Fingscheidt, blended elements of recovery and nature in her source material. This carries over to Fingscheidt’s film, which beautifully captures the Orkney Islands with Yunus Roy Imer behind the camera. At almost two hours, the imagery can only go so far in a loose plot. Even at this most meandering, though, it’s hard not to be fixated on Ronan.
Although The Outrun is based on Liptrot’s life, Ronan portrays an original character named Rona. Falling into addiction, Rona continually makes promises to her boyfriend Daynin (Paapa Essiedu) and herself that she can’t keep. She’s finally compelled to enter rehab, but her recovery truly begins upon returning home to Orkney. Rona volunteers with the RSPB, helping to deliver a baby lamb in one of the most poignant scenes. As peaceful as the coastal landscapes can be, there’s also a fractured sense of disorientation as the waves crash against the shore. This is reflected through the nonchronological narrative with Rona torn between her past, present, and future.
The visual storytelling spares The Outrun from the cliché dialogue we might’ve gotten in a more conventional film. As striking as the scenery is, the film’s sense of immersion begins to wane as the plot drones on. By the hour-and-a-half mark, we become less focused on the lovely cinematography as our eyes wander to our watches. The audience understands what Fingscheidt is trying to get across, but the film drags its feet getting to the point. Given the subject matter, a slow burn isn’t unwarranted per se. Still, when a film leaves the viewer asking when it will wrap up already, you know that something is off in the editing department.
Ronan serves as an anchor, keeping us invested every time the film starts to lose us. Few actresses (of any era) have accomplished more than Ronan, who only turned thirty earlier this year. Never repeating herself, she’s already received four Oscar nominations. Between The Outrun and Steve McQueen’s Blitz, it’s safe to say she’s on the verge of at least one more. Rona is another role that Ronan escapes into, delivering a meditative, internal performance that speaks volumes with the slightest of expressions. A film like The Outrun lives and dies by its casting. Ronan is the movie, making it difficult to decline.
Some may debate whether or not one performance can save a movie. Admittedly, without Ronan’s presence, The Outrun would be far from essential viewing. While exquisitely shot and made with emotional honesty, it tests our patience so much that we almost start to experience withdrawal. Thankfully, Ronan is on screen for most of the run time. Even when running uphill or swimming against the tide, Ronan is a force who won’t slow down.