Photo by Tech Daily on Unsplash
By Dakota Hornak, Staff Writer
Spoilers below:
In November of 2020, Hulu exclusively released the psychological thriller, “Run,” which features the fictional story of chronically ill Chloe and her mother Diane. Directed by Aneesh Chaganty, viewers follow Chloe as she slowly learns more about the types of medication Diane is giving her, the number of limitations she puts on Chloe’s life and her general attitudes towards Chloe gaining independence. As the film continues, it all leads the 17-year-old to a discovery she never thought she would make.
This film parallels a lot of the themes seen in the infamous show, “The Act,” which gained immediate traction on Hulu in 2019 for how it portrays the true story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a victim of Munchhausen’s by Proxy. This disorder is when a caretaker induces symptoms of major illnesses or pretends their child or client has a certain disorder; it’s extremely rare to find a case of this, making Hulu viewers even more ecstatic for the release of “Run.”
The intensity of the acting is one aspect of the movie that made the story come together better. Sarah Paulson, who starred as Diane, portrayed her role as an overbearing authority figure brilliantly, and created a feeling of anxiety in the audience with just a simple change of expression. As the film went on, it felt as if I was in danger, intensifying the experience and thrill of the movie. Actress Keira Allen also did an amazing job in portraying Chloe’s character. She expressed the fear and intelligence of Chloe in a way that was tangible through the screen and made the viewer feel like they, themselves, were uncovering a huge secret.
Another small thing I really value about this movie is that Allen, who uses a wheelchair in the film, also has a physical disability in real life. The representation of people with disabilities is typically pretty slim in the film industry and when representation occurs, many directors choose an easier route of hiring an actor without a disability. This type of backhanded representation can be very damaging to the groups producers are trying to market towards. Those involved in creating “Run” however, took it upon themselves to ensure proper representation of people with disabilities, and used Allen to portray Chloe as the heroine in the movie because she is a part of this underrepresented group.
One drawback of the film I saw was that the plot could be easy to lose sometimes, especially when nothing particularly anxiety or fear-provoking was going on. I found myself getting distracted from time to time when the action of the movie would pause. On the other hand, as the viewer discovers that Diane knows of Chloe’s suspicions, interest picks up for the audience and engages us once again.
Despite the limited moments where the film can feel slow, “Run” is a true psychological horror film that uses quick-moving shots, dark color and lighting schemes and an engaging story arc to entice viewers to be scared yet hanging on the edge of their seats to see what happens next. I loved this movie, and it would be a great addition to anyone’s scary movie night!
