Runaway Love

Originally slated to hit theaters back in May, Hulu's "Run" is a delightfully claustrophobic thriller that combines genuine white-knuckle tension and some bits of superb acting

Along with various other business industries, Hollywood hasn't ever faced a challenge quite like the current pandemic. High-profile projects have been shuffled like decks of cards, completely upending potentially lucrative release windows and shooting schedules alike. Some studios have pushed a number of movies back for months or indefinitely and others have opted to siphon them off to streaming services in exchange for lumps of cash. One such film is "Run", as it was intended to debut Mother's Day weekend and from looking at the numbers, it could have made a killing. The film broke records for Hulu when it premiered on November 20th and offered many quarantined viewers looks at a different kind of fear when it came to being locked in.

Diane Sherman (Sarah Paulson) is a loving mother who homeschools and meticulously cares for her chronically ill and wheelchair-bound daughter Chloe (Kiera Allen). However, with college calling and her curiosities peaking, it may be time for Diane's daughter to finally leave the nest. Unfortunately for Chloe, she'll soon discover freedom never felt so far and separation can be a terrifying thing. The film is directed and co-written by Aneesh Chaganty who, along with fellow co-writer Sev Ohanian, was also behind the critically acclaimed mystery-thriller "Searching".

Paulson gives an appropriately unhinged performance and Allen counterbalances her extremely well. The picture mostly revolves around them and remains engaging throughout off of the strength of their sheer acting prowess. Allen, especially, is a pleasant surprise since this is her feature film debut. The story itself, while not remarkably original, manages to steadily build suspense and earn its payoffs when twists are revealed. The film's vibe is Hitchcockian and those familiar with movies like "Misery" and "Rear Window" will recognize shades of its influences immediately. The film's first two acts are stronger than the climax, which becomes a little formulaic and there are a few eye-rolling cliches sprinkled into its 89-minute runtime. Nonetheless, what it lacks in originality, it makes up for in execution and amounts to a satisfyingly scary popcorn film that does its job with swift efficiency. B+