Run - A Hulu Movie Review

You are strong. You are capable. You can do anything that you set your mind to.

Run is a 2020 Hulu film. Chloe is a handicapped daughter to a single mother. Beginning to sense that something is off about her mother’s behavior, she learns dark secrets. In the fight of her life, Chloe fends for her survival.

Talk about a suspenseful film. I felt goosebumps. My heart was pounding throughout the majority of the final half. The story is constructed extremely well. Run is an on-edge thriller that dons a powerful message to never let a disability own you.

Sarah Paulson and Kiera Allen are the highlights. They master their relationship. Playing as mother and daughter, the two have fun watching movies, joking around, or comforting one another. Going through the normal routine and learning to live with the disability, events soon take a turn for the worst.

In her film debut, Kiera Allen is a powerhouse in her exhilarating performance. Handicapped in real-life, Allen does a profound job in showcasing genuine realism to the screen. Chloe is a survivalist with skills like no other. That is her best trait. She is a brave fighter willing to make the fight of her life.

At first, I didn’t believe that we knew enough information about Diane. That is on purpose. Sarah Paulson is so sinister that she even fools you. Paulson did a great job with her character. Her deliveries on lines occupy a frightening range of what Paulson has developed as an actress.

Storywise, Run pulls audiences in right from the start. I had a fun time watching this film. It’s a tight narrative with great editing. Now I wish that I recorded myself so I could have seen my reaction during one specific scene. It’s a film that you have to watch a second time. Trust me, there are many clues that I missed.

What makes Run a nail-biting film is the cinematography. Filmmakers went above and beyond. The camera angles slowly pan out or slowly follow characters into other rooms. Following the perspective of Chloe, we see the world from her eyes, sitting forward in our seats to witness what secrets are revealed next.

Aneesh Chaganty did a tremendous job with the story. He wanted realism and achieved it. He built up tension, sold important interactions, and built up an epic twist that I didn't see coming. One element that I liked was little bits of comedy. However, Run borders on references from other horror films, lacking in originality.

The film reminded me of Misery written by Stephen King. Listen closely and there are remnants of notable music cues from other horror films. And a nod to one popular horror icon. Chaganty could have reduced some of the callbacks from other horror films. They were distracting from the main story.

I have gone back and forth on whether the ending of Run is decent closure. Part of it doesn’t work. It utilizes a character into a villainous behavior, to which they never were. Then again, this behavior executes how people affect us.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Run from beginning to end. There is a lot to talk about by the conclusion. I am looking forward to watching it again. It is a simple story and yet it is so nail-biting. In no way is it predictable. It is a clever film that embodies how a thriller should work.

I warn you, Run is not for all audiences. It is a very suspenseful film. Find it on Hulu. And do not look up any information regarding the film before your watch.