Run

source: Run

Run has been described as Fast and Furious does Kitchen Sink drama. If only it was half as interesting than that concept. Starting out with Bruce Springsteen's iconic lyrics for Born to Run. It also ends with a Springsteen song. Finnie (Mark Stanley) is a fish factory worker in his 30s in Aberdeenshire. With two teenage kids, life is passing him by. One night he borrows his drag racer son's car for a joyride. The need for speed gives him a thrill. The film has a brooding performance from Stanley. It has a strong dialect but it was not an issue for me. It just lacked a strong story. It had too much navel gazing. Springsteen sang about escaping. Here the characters realise that they have nowhere to run.

Most scenes are literally dark but street and car lights provide metaphorical shafts of brightness throughout.It gives the impression that the sea port of Fraserburgh is a uniquely insulated area however the story whilst brutally realistic in many respects is also insightful and poignant. The car race is amazingly professional with unexpected sharp-intake-of-breath-hair-raising scenes. The young local actor Scott Murray is refreshing and natural. He provides light-hearted amusement with his best line being a plaintive voice calling from upstairs, "Dad we've run out of lavvy roll." slang for toilet paper. Mark Stanley, is authentic and grasps the strong local dialect whilst effectively portraying the mundane, gruelling existenceof a fish-filleter. Graham captures the boy-racers' time honoured rendezvous at the 'Flaggy' and almost tragically refers to the only night club in town. His raw perception of small town culture is revealing with its depiction of a dead-end repetitive lifestyle which the main character, in his youth, had every intention to run from. Yet even though he can foresee his life choices being replayed by his son the film ended beautifully with an illuminating realization and ray of hope. Definitely worth watching.

I tried to watch this film on BB2 last Sunday night, but had to give up after 20 minutes or so. The reason: the dialogue was almost incomprehensible. I have no problem with the Doric dialect - my parents came from Aberdeenshire but were not from the Buchan area - but because of the actors' continual mumbling. Did the director really encourage his actors to be so incomprehensible? Even James Dean in his heyday was more understandable. Memo to Mr Graham: I don't expect actors in Scottish films to talk like RP, but if films like "Local Hero" are understandable to non Scottish audiences, the so should this one.