10. The Runaways; movie review

THE RUNAWAYS
Cert 12A
113 mins
BBFC advice: Contains moderate threat

Ah, Whitby. What a lovely setting for a movie - although I noted that the hundreds of goths who often descend upon the gorgeous seaside town were nowhere to be seen in Richard Heap's The Runaways.
But this family drama does bring in the beach, the cliffs, the pubs and a bit of the town centre (I can heartily recommend the fish and chips).
Of course, Heap's picture is much more than a location report for Whitby but I found it so refreshing to see another British movie which is centred away from London.
Indeed, Heap also extensively uses the beautiful and bleak Yorkshire Moors is his tale about three children who run away from home ... with two donkeys!
His film stars Molly Windsor as the eldest of three children who live in a seaside shack with their loving but drunken dad (Mark Addy).
Their relatively happy environment at the seaside comes undone when their uncle (Lee Boardman) is released for jail after a long stretch.
He aggressively demands money and prompts the children to go off in search of their estranged mu mum (Tara Fitzgerald).
Despite stars in the cast, most of the movie is focused upon Windsor and young Rhys Connah and Macy Shackleton as the trio who are thrust forward on a voyage of discovery.
And they carry it off splendidly, being totally convincing despite the unlikely scenario they are portraying.
They are backed up by three experienced hands with Boardman reminding us what a fine villain he was in Coronation Street, Addy much more fluffy than he was in Game of Thrones and Fitzgerald impressive and unrecognisable from her Brassed Off days.
It all adds up to The Runaways becoming the latest in a trend of low-budget British films which leave a positive mark for quality acting and originality.

Reasons to watch: Engaging family drama
Reasons to avoid: A tad laboured at times

Laughs: One
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? Bram Stoker stayed in Whitby while writing parts of his novel Dracula. Stoker was inspired by the moody atmosphere of the town and took inspiration from landmarks such as Whitby Abbey, St Mary’s Church Yard and the 199 steps.

The final word. Richard Heap: "When I was pitching The Runaways no one believed there was an audience for live-action family films. They said there was no way to compete with the Disney/animation juggernaut. We’ve had numerous preview screenings and I have felt the audience really connect deeply with our film. If people want to have an alternative to Cloudy with Meatballs 2 then this is a chance to show it! The Movie Waffler

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