The Outrun – In Cinemas Now
I’d venture that The Outrun is the finest Scottish film ever made. This is ‘Cinema’ in its purest terms. Its reach is immense. Captivating. Perceptive. Involving. Touching. Harrowing. Yet, ultimately, shedding light where there is darkness. This is the cinema of truth, cause, and effect. The lead, Rona, is played by the 30-year-old Hollywood star Saoirse Ronan, who simply gives us all the performance of a lifetime. Underplayed and subtle, she holds our attention at every turn with every line she utters. You’d think she was truly a Hebridean Islander—an Orcadian Scot—not an Irish American.
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The film narratively dances between haunting memories of a life back in London’s ‘High Rise’ Hackney, and a childhood past in Orkney. We witness a visually cross-referenced journey to the furthest reaches of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, situated on a tiny island beyond Orkney itself, where Rona takes up a bird-watching job working for the RSPB. This is a visual feast set amid a tortured tale of parental nightmares and Rona’s ongoing alcohol addiction. Brilliantly co-written with, and adapted from, Amy Liptrot’s insightful memoir.
The film alludes to many Orcadian folklore tales alongside many elemental allusions. Rona finds solace in these allegorical fables, which were told to her as a child. Meanwhile, seen braving the crashing waves, she vocally recounts the Orcadian legends of the Selkies, shapeshifting seals who would slip out from their seal skins to dance on the beaches in human form at midnight under the moon. The seals later bop up and down in the sea next to Rona as if they are monitoring her every move.
Filmmaker Nora Fingscheidt is a young German writer-director of incredible ability. An exemplary screenplay writer, working in collaboration with Liptrot’s epic storytelling skills, she captivates us right from the very beginning.
The Outrun is everything contemporary cinema should be. Yet English-language filmmaking as good as this is still a rarity in 2024. It takes talent with vision, alongside a collective of willing backers, including many key Scottish financial participants, working behind the scenes to enable such a poetic modern masterpiece. The Outrun will surely resonate for decades to come. In my humble estimation, this is a benchmark in contemporary filmmaking.
At the time of writing this, many have yet to wake up to the presence of this film in our urban midst. Catch it now, just in case it disappears from the big screens where you should really see this film. The Outrun is a truly big widescreen movie. It’s not a piece of wallflower TV to simply whizz through after the news before bed.
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Where to Watch The Outrun
Now showing in London’s cinemas.
Locations:
BFI Southbank, Curzon Soho, Vue West End
Showtimes:
Daily screenings in the afternoon and evening. Check local listings for exact times.
*Showtimes and availability may vary.
