The Runaways

Saw this film tonight at Hebden Bridge Picture House, with the surprise bonus of a Q&A with the director, afterwards. A moving film that will appeal to family audiences of all ages. A low budget production that succeeds in breaking through the limitations imposed by this stricture. The strong storyline is immersive from the get-go, with the haunting background of a family mystery, played out during a donkey trek from Whitby to Leyburn. Good story, Good cinematography, Good cast, Great acting from the 3 younger stars of the film. Slight criticism ....maybe 10 minutes too long?

We came across this British movie on Amazon streaming, I find its IMDb rating just about right.

It is about a very marginal coastal fishing family with a dad that boozes it a bit too much. But he has a good heart and on certain days they operate a beach donkey ride with their three donkeys. Mom just left right after the youngest was born, now about 8. There is a brother and the real glue of the family is the oldest, the girl just turning 16.

When dad just happens to die overnight in his bed, right after his mess of a younger brother gets out of prison for murder, the kids decide to run for it, along with two of the donkeys. They take a road trip, really mostly an off-road trip, to find mom as the lesser of the evils.

Naturally things don't turn out the way the kids imagined it but they get onto a better trajectory, at least as good as can be expected.

Saw this little Brit indie gem of a film in Halifax in West Yorkshire on a wet Sunday afternoon; didn't know much about it before hand but so glad went to see it. The director Richard Heap and two of the teen actors did a Q&A afterwards. The story opens in Whitby where the trio of kids are being raised ad hoc by their loving but heavy drinking Dad (played by Mark Addy) and after a family tragedy and the return of their violent uncle the kids flee with 2 of the donkeys from their seaside day job onto the North Yorkshire moors escaping and on the run. The story follows their adventures and charts their emotional as well as physical journey. It is touching, heartbreaking, witty, insightful and packs a big emotional wallop. Catch it if you can.

Saw this Indie drama at the High Peak Independent Film Festival. Lovely production values and some decent storytelling. Gentle pace to the film that starts to drag a bit after a while but Mark Addy, Lee Boardman and Tara Fitzgerald are all in good form and all the kid actors do a fine job.

Worth a look.

Was lucky enough to watch an early screening of this in Sheffield with writer / cameraman / director Rich Heap present for a Q&A after the film. What a thoroughly absorbing film it is! The Q&A host after the film described the landscape as being one of the major characters in the film and she was not wrong. It makes you want to forget holidaying in sunny Spain and stick to the North York moors! The children act superbly, especially Molly, and Mark Addy obviously shines. We took our kids aged 10 and 12 to watch it. It's a very dark tale, but so refreshing for a film to appeal to the family audience without the usual disneyfication. Would completely recommend it.