"The Outrun" is a beautifully shot film and at times poetically narrated by the voice of Rona, played by Saoirse Ronan. Rona was traumatized as a young child by her father's mental health issues and it's not clear whether she might be struggling with the same. What is known, via flashbacks, is that her life is out of control and spiraling downward due to severe alcoholism. It is always a pleasure to watch Ronan act except that in this film, her skillful depiction of a young woman destroying her relationships and her life, is very difficult.
"The Outrun" is based on a memoir by Amy Liptrot. Much of the film is shot on a remote Scottish island where Rona is surrounded by both nature's power and healing forces, as she isolates herself in an attempt to outrun her demons. She asks an islander who is 12 years sober if it ever gets easier. His answer? "Yes it does. But it never gets easy, only less hard."