Review: Run

When a teen suspects her mother is deceiving her, she sets out to find the truth and save her life.

I would say Run is a combination of Misery meets the Hulu original The Act. The story starts with a premature baby in need of a lifetime of care. Despite her disability, Chloe (Kiera Allen) grows into a happy home-schooled teen on track to make it into a top college. It’s clear she and her mother, Diane (Sarah Paulson), have their daily routines down and they seem to be content. 

Sure there are red flags, like the fact that Chloe isn’t allowed to have a phone, and she has minimal access to the internet. The reasons why are unclear, but she doesn’t seem to question it. It’s normal for her. 

Her suspicion begins while rummaging through a grocery bag to sneak a forbidden snack. She finds a pill bottle labeled with her mother’s name. When Chloe asks Diane about the new pills, her mother simply says Chloe’s doctor has changed her medication, and the label was the receipt.

Not buying it, Chloe goes on a mission to figure out the truth. And sadly, the truth is horrific. Now Chloe has to figure out how to escape from her crazed mother’s clutches to stay alive. 

It’s clear from the trailer alone that Diane probably suffers from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental disorder that causes a parent or other caretaker to exaggerate, fabricate, or induce illness in a person under their care. 

The premise is scary enough, but the almost Hitchcockian direction using intense camera movements and a clever use of shadows turns what could be a simple thriller into a dramatic horror film. 

Sarah Paulson is no stranger to these types of characters. She has proven time and again that she can play anything from quirky to terrifying, and Run is no exception. She is truly chilling as an unhinged monstrous mother in this film.

But it is newcomer Kiera Allen who steals the show. She is captivating. The tenacity and strength she brings to Chloe will have you cheering her on while also keeping you on the edge of your seat. 

Run is a well-crafted script that is expertly executed in both direction and acting. It has twists and turns that will have you guessing and wondering what comes next. It’s a chilling film that’s so gripping you’ll be invested from beginning to end.