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"Running Home" is a predictable, melodramatic flick full of implausibilities with all the ear marks of a low budget soap. However, there's enough stuff going on from romance to murder to bad cops to fights to chases to the quest of the street kid and central character (Ayre) to meet the birth mother he's never known to make it an enjoyable watch for those who can overlook the host of contrivances it presents. Also, Ayre is just off-center enough to support the multitude of clichés around him. In short, an enjoyable watch for the whole family in spite of many short-comings.

This was a surprisingly good movie!

It has drama. It has a plot. It is intriguing in its development into something more!

It tells the story of a street-wise kid who has a precision touch for the world that surrounds him!!!

... He cares about the downtrodden & oppressed!!!

... He notices details others do not care to consider! ... He is rightly suspicious of 'authorities' of presumed 'wisdom' in JUDGEMENTAL perspectives that they surround themselves with!!! ... Into likeminded submission without substance to allegations unfounded!!!

... Meanwhile, he investigates & discovers his own potential for greater solutions!!!

... While disturbed & warning against the agenda he senses is building up behind him!!!

... As others too, accumulate for various agendas!!! ... Helpful & otherwise!!!

"Running Home" has other attributes working for it!!!

... An empathetic artist whose paintings express her secret pain!!!

... A street-kid daring to be himself!!! ... With MUCH creativity revealed!!!

... But with echoes to his earlier dimensions he does not shrink from!!! … Or apologise for!!!

Meanwhile, truer bonds of MUCH substance gradually emerge!!!

All in all, it gives an insight into street kids!!! … Not to forget earlier dimensions of such dilemmas!!! … TOO often forgotten!!!

… Also lost bonds of family & MUCH goodwill!!! … That bureaucracies of police or church & state!!! … Can effectively diminish into nothingness!!! … Or DARE to care about!!! … At their personal whim!!!

… But rarely realised, it seems!!!

In the meanwhile, this movie is a good mix!!!

It does not stifle the free-spirited soul in this young guy who dares to be creative!!! … Amidst a closed store rich with symbolism!!! … As he sets birds free from their cages!!!

It's not phony … just creatively thoughtful in its unique perspectives!!!

It hints at something worth contemplating in broader journeys of life … that somehow, whether near or far, loved ones tend to be close at hand, and so often intuitively attuned to what we care about & are growing into!!!

"Running Home" conveys such concepts well.

Well what a little unexpected gem that turned out to be! Quite a few plot holes, but they can be ignored for the overall feel good story.

I watched this on cable and was pleasantly surprised by it. It tells the story of a young street-wise kid who finally gets off the street and goes to look for his mom, who he suspects is still living and might want to reunite with her son. On top of that, he witnessed a murder committed by a police officer, and that added an extra impetus. It was a surprise when he finally shaved, cut his hair and changed his clothes - the transformation is amazing. When he finally meets his mom, he uses his money to commission a self-portrait by her without revealing his identity, while he befriends a girl who knows about his staying overnight in a department store because he doesn't have money for rent. The things he does to prevent detection is ingenious, and the events that follow to the reuniting of the family and the capture of the corrupt officials is fun and captivating most of the time. Even though I've never heard of him before this, Kristian Ayre is a fine actor and shows this in this movie.

My husband and I watched this movie on cable tv a long time ago, and found it very memorable and touching. For many years we tried to remember the movie's name so we could watch it again, but without luck. (I guess because it was a small Canadian production it's not well known.) Recently we were able to find the name of the movie through Reddit, and so were able to finally watch it again about 20 years after the first time.

We enjoyed it just as much this time, or more. It's a quality family film with action, suspense, great acting (especially by the two main actors), and some very moving and emotional scenes. I definitely cried at the end. A real unknown gem.