Film Review: "Run" (2020).

"You Can't Escape a Mother's Love" in Run. This thriller film directed by Aneesh Chaganty and written by Chaganty and Sev Ohanian. There’s something unnatural about the relationship between Chloe and her mom, Diane. Diane has raised her daughter in isolation, controlling every move since birth, and there are secrets that Chloe's only starting to grasp.

In June 2018, it was announced Lionsgate would produce, distribute, and finance the film with Chaganty as director and penned by Chaganty and Ohanian. By late October, Sarah Paulson, Kiera Allen and Pat Healy were cast. Allen has used a wheelchair since 2014. The filmmakers wanted to cast a disabled actress, stating that Hollywood rarely casts disabled actors for disabled roles. This the first major thriller to star a wheelchair user since The Sign of the Ram (1948). At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late December. Filming took place in Winnipeg, Canada. The film was originally scheduled for a January 24, 2020 release date. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was pulled from the schedule. Lionsgate intended to announce a new release date "once there is more clarity on when movie theaters" will reopen. However, in August 2020, Hulu acquired American distribution rights to the film, and released on their service on November 20, 2020. However, the film would debut in some international theaters.

The film stars Paulson, Allen and Healy. All the psychological, emotional, and visceral angles of the horror are anchored to the performances of Paulson and Allen. Where it is significantly elevated is in the terrifyingly convincing performance by Paulson as a loving but suspicious mother.

One of those rare films capable of spending the entire running time focusing on the cat-and-mouse suspense between a superbly cinematic duo, without ever slowing down. Chaganty's tense thriller yarn is superbly paced, chock full of devilish plot twists and capable of lifting audiences inches off their seats. Chaganty's film is an absolutely harrowing tale of motherly love gone wrong and the damage that it can cause the child. There's no evil, no zombies, no cursed MacGuffins, no serial killers-just a suspicious mother and an unsuspecting daughter. Together, they make terror. Chaganty creates an atmosphere of tense horror wrapped around strong dialogue, and in the process, he gets sterling performances from Paulson and Allen. Except for the flat, compromised finale, the smooth direction and the nicely structured script make this film enjoyable as a horror flick and psychological thriller, not to mention Paulson's superb turn as a loving mother harbouring a dark secret. Chaganty captures just the right level of physical tension, but for the most part wisely emphasises the mental duels. Part of the startling horror of Diane is that she is just about the last person in the world from whom you'd expect to be harbouring a dark secret. The result is arguably one of the best thrillers in years, a tense character study that grows and builds and has plenty of humor, both light and dark, along the way. 

Simon says Run receives:

Also, see my review for Searching.