Nothing is stronger than the bond between mother and child, with the love of a matriarch being perhaps the most pure of all the types of love that exist. While a mother’s love is irreplaceable, at times, her concern for us can venture into overbearingness or controlling, a frustration all of us who grew up with our mothers have experienced at one time or another. That’s the tricky thing about strong love, the instinct to cover the object of that emotion can quickly turn from tender to toxic if unchecked and allowed to go too far. Director Aneesh Chaganty’s latest film puts a thriller’s twist on this concept.
Run follows Diane (Sarah Paulson) after the birth of her tiny, premature baby afflicted with a variety of illnesses including arrhythmia, asthma, and diabetes. Diane builds a controlled, organized life 17 years later with her daughter Chloe (Kiera Allen). Diane has raised her in isolation, controlling every move since birth, including homeschool. As Chloe prepares for college, she slowly learns that there are secrets her mother holds.
Chaganty is quickly proving himself to be preternaturally adept at crafting tense mysteries on film. The issue of stolen newborns is one that has surfaced in the news numerous times recently and Chaganty utilizes his skills to examine the phenomenon through a thrilling lens. Thematically, the film touches upon the fine line where love becomes selfishness and narcissism. Diane controls every aspect of Chloe’s life and at first glance, it would appear to be a simple case of an overprotective mother trying to protect her fragile child who barely made it into her arms after childbirth. As the true nature of Diane’s relationship with Chloe is slowly unraveled, culminating in the audience discovering just why it has taken so long for Chloe to hear back from her dream school the University of Washington, we learn that what appeared to be genuine caring for her child is mere concern for her own dangerously selfish desires.
Run is a little more easy to “figure out” than his magnificent 2018 film Searching, but its increased predictability makes the director’s ability to create tension without the aid of misdirection. More so than with his contemporaries, in Chaganty’s films, you get a real feel for how technologically interconnected our world is. It makes his work feel more relevant to our lives and therefore allows audiences to become more immersed in the worlds he creates and stories he tells.
The performances in the film are what powers it the most with Kiera Allen offering the strongest acting as the film’s lead. Allen delivers an incredible performance not just with her acting ability, but in the physical performance she offers as well. Allen, who uses a wheelchair in real life, has once scene that sees her crawling on the roof of her home from one room to the next in order to free herself. The physical acting the scene requires is as challenging as any action stunt in a film and Allen knocks it out of the park with her execution. Sarah Paulson never gives bland, poor performances and her turn as Diane is no exception, with her being a perfectly terrifying villain in this film.
While Run’s story may feel a bit run of the mill, director Aneesh Chaganty’s knack for tense, thrilling storytelling will keep the audience engrossed even if they can sniff out where he’s leading them. Aided by a notable breakout performance from Kiera Allen and Sarah Paulson doing Sarah Paulson things, the film is the perfect movie night in that will keep you and a friend invested in a moving picture with a few of your favorite snacks.
image: Lionsgate
