The Runner released in the Criterion Collection on March 19th, 2024.
The Criterion Collection is my favorite place to explore and discover amazing cinematic releases that may have slipped under my radar. Straw Dogs, Mona Lisa and White Dog are some of my favorite films, all of which I first watched after they received a physical release through Criterion. The Runner has now joined that list.
The Runner Plot
Also Read: Criterion Collection Eric Rohmer’s Tales of the Four Seasons Review
A young Iranian orphan fends for himself, surviving by working odd jobs collecting glass bottles, shining shoes and selling ice water. Despite the harsh conditions he faces, his natural curiosity and imagination never waiver. He harbors a fascination for the airplanes and cargo ships that move in and out of the port city he calls home. While he dreams of escape, he must learn to overcome the ruthless nature of life on the street.
The Critique
Few films have stayed with me the way that The Runner did. Peter Weir’s The Picnic at Hanging Rock and Denis Villeneuve’s Enemy come to mind as more recent examples; however, those films utilize a psychological tension and mystery to hook the viewer and reel them in to a twisted web of confusion that demands interpretation. Iranian filmmaker Amir Naderi’s 1984 masterpiece is the complete opposite. The film’s lead character — Amiro — exists in a world of stark reality. He’s a young boy living on his own and his survival rests entirely on his own shoulders.
Amiro spends his nights on a large boat, beached and abandoned upon the sandy shores of the port city he lives in. In many ways, it’s a dream come true for a child. I remember being ten-years-old and fantasizing about running away and finding shelter on the playground of a nearby park. I never did, of course, and the reality of such a decision would have surely sent me rushing back home before sunrise. Amiro doesn’t have that option. Instead, he’s forced to face the harsh realities of surviving alone while balancing the fun-seeking innocence of a child.
The Runner plays out with an unflinching realism. It doesn’t spend its time on exposition or massive set pieces. The events of the films are relatively minor from a cinematic standpoint, but their impact and importance to Amiro are immeasurable. It is a journey that uses the natural beauty of a surrounding world that is, arguably, at times unbeautiful. It’s this clashing of ideas that acts as the building block for the story, which was inspired by director Amir Naderi’s own childhood. The clashing of a child’s inherent playfulness against the cutthroat nature of surviving alone echoes through every moment with heart-aching authenticity.
The Special Features
The new release, featuring 2K digital restoration, includes Waiting, an earlier film from film-maker Amir Naderi. Naderi and the film’s star, Madjid Niroumand, also reunite for a 2022 audio interview with Bruce Goldstein acting as moderator.
Would I Recommend This Purchase? Absolutely. This is a must-own film for any serious physical media collector.
Is It Worth a Blind Buy? Yes, and I say that with confidence.
10/10
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