Run (1991) User Reviews

Not Oscar material, but surprisingly good.

[Edrondol · 7/10 · 6 January 2004]

Read a couple of user reviews about this movie, and they say it was forgettable pap. I disagree. Granted, it will not win any awards, but it's an enjoyable movie.

Patrick Dempsey puts in a credible performance as a kid on the run. Some complain that it's just one big chase scene. News flash! The name of the movie is "Run"! You get what you expect to see.

Besides, if it's so forgettable, why are we talking about it 12 years later?



-Dave

In Comparison to Out of Bounds...

[vertigo_14 · 6/10 · 6 March 2004]

I would consider Run in comparison to an Anthony Michael Hall movie called Out of Bounds and make the recommendation for the former if this is the kind of movie that you're in the mood for.

Out of Bounds, which I think came out in 1986, stars Hall as an Iowan kid who goes to visit his brother in Los Angeles. Through a case of mistaken identity, he suddenly finds himself in a world of trouble, running from drug lords and cops, because (insert forced gasp here) he picks up the same gym as another person who was smuggling dope. Well, not to give away to much of the story, he finds this quirky girl to help him out.

Out of Bounds is very similar to Run in that, through mistaken assumptions, a kid is on the run from both the mob and crooked cops. A girl helps this kid out in his desperate struggle to escape a whole slew of maniacs. Run and Out of Time are both basically films about kids spending a whole movie trying to figure out how they're going to avoid their doom.

Run, however, makes for a much better movie than Out of Time, despite people's inclination for early Anthony Michael Hall movies. In Out of Time, he hardly acted like he wanted to be in the movie. Other than the girl that helps him out, it is a whole lot of nothing and rather predictable "coincidences."

Though only a B movie, it Run is much more exciting with efforts in acting as well as action scenes (such as the police car falling off of the mall parking garage and the man dangling over the edge from his pants leg). If you like Patrick Dempsey and Kelly Preston, you're probably certain to enjoy this film. It's actually a good lazy day kind of film.

Luck Is His Name

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 25 July 2006]

In Boston, the law student and lucky poker player Charlie Farrow (Patrick Dempsey) works in a garage and is hired by his boss to deliver a Porsche in Atlantic City. The car has an injection problem on the highway, and while waiting the repair, Charlie asks the cab driver to take him to a restaurant. The guy sees the fancy car and the destination, Atlantic City, and wrongly decides to take Charlie to a local casino, believing he is a millionaire. Charlie wins all the gambles and the loser Denny Halloran (Alan C. Peterson) tries to hit Charlie, but accidentally stumbles, hits his head on a counter and dies. His father, the powerful mobster Matt Halloran (Ken Pogue), puts a reward on Charlie, and the gangsters and dirty cops chase him along the night. Charlie runs to save his life, with the support of Karen Landers (Kelly Preston).

"Run" is one of the most entertainment chase movies I have ever seen. The story is flawed, I know, but is also very charming and funny. The lead actor Patrick Dempsey is perfect for the role, and his character looks like a cat with seven lives, lucky to win the game, survive the chasing and seduce the adorable Kelly Preston. Her astonishing beauty is another plus in this underrated, amusing and highly recommended action movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Fugindo Para Viver" ("Escaping to Live")

an awesome action movie

[moviecollector · 28 April 2004]

I just checked this out yesterday on the Mystery channel, I expected it to be a lame action movie. But this 1 surprised me, I was entertained through the whole thing. Nice action set pieces like the 1 in the bowling alley. & this is the best P. Dempsey movie I've seen with him, plus he's Sean Penn's look-a-like in the movie. I was convinced that Sean Penn was in this movie cause Patrick looks so much like a younger version of Sean. I'm sure the plot has been mentioned b4, so I'll end by saying that this was a great little entertaining action flick. Its worth seeing. :)

A "B" film that works overtime to deliver the goods

[lemon_magic · 7/10 · 6 January 2006]

"Run" is one of those underrated gems that you hope to find when you take a chance and rent (or watch) a movie that you know very little about. I first rented this in 1991 when it came out on VHS and found it extremely entertaining...when the Mystery channel showed it again a while back, I made a point of catching it, and was pleased to note how well it holds up. This is the kind of movie where the performances are 'fat free' and underplayed and effective, where the stunts and action pieces are inventive and inspired without drawing too much attention to themselves, where the writing is economical and streamlined.

Admittedly, "Run" is definite "B" caliber, with a pretty shallow plot and cardboard characters, but within its parameters (action/crime thriller with Hitchcokian elements) it does a wonderful job. Patrick Dempsey is a completely believable 'everyman', a skinny nerdish type who shows up at the wrong place at the wrong time and gets into a heap of trouble. With corrupt cops and angry hoodlums chasing him, he has no choice but to try to get out of a town that the Mafia seems to own from City Hall on down. The screenplay is tightly plotted, with the screws being turned tighter and tighter on poor Dempsey with each new development, and his character's only advantage is that he is, well, extremely slippery.

Casting a skinny "geek" like Dempsey in this role was an inspired stroke . Dempsey is no one's idea of a typical 'action hero' and so he doesn't act like one...as a result his characters reactions are extremely credible. He can't do an "Ah-nold" or shoot things out like Dirty Harry - all he can do is squirm and wriggle and dodge his way out of tighter and tighter situations. And boy, does he (or his stunt doubles) wriggle. Action scenes and stunts in this movie are thus keyed to evasion,deception and Desperation. Our 'hero' slithers down stadium stairs and slides headfirst down bowling alleys and hurdles steeplejack style over and under obstacles and in general just runs like a rabbit from danger. Even at the climax, when he's finally been caught and subdued and is about to be thrown off a rooftop, he squirms so hard and frenziedly that the two hoodlums that were meant to toss him off end up losing their balance and falling in his place!

"Run" is very enjoyable for what it is, and can be enjoyed by any fan of films like "The Man Who Knew Too Much". After a long slump, Dempsey eventually went on to great success on television (most recently in "Grey's Anatomy") and went from a skinny geek to something of a "hunk"...that cheers me immensely...there may be hope for us all.

Awesome !

[ebiros2 · 7/10 · 18 October 2012]

I just think that Patrick Dempsey is a way under rated actor. He really pulls the lead role in any movie he's starred in. This movie is one of them.

Charlie (Patrick Dempsey) gets mixed up with the son of a gangster, and although he didn't have a hand in it, the gangster's son's death gets blamed on him. Son's dad isn't exactly happy about it either, and orders his troops to go and catch this guy. He also puts 50G on his head. 50G attracts attention of local cops. They want to sell Charlie to the gang boss for the reward money. This is not Charlie's day, but he's more resourceful than you expect.

As I've already mentioned, Patrick Dempsey is pretty awesome in this movie, and so is the movie itself. It's kind of funny, kind of suspenseful, and kind of exciting. All this has got lot to do with the way Charlie carries himself in this movie.

The movie is unbelievably good, and I'd like to see Patrick Dempsey get more good roles like this in the future.

Fast paced. clever, well acted!

[matlock-6 · 6/10 · 22 July 2002]

A great action/suspense film starring the very underrated (and recently MIA) actor Patrick Dempsey of "Can't Buy Me Love" fame.

The story centers around Dempsey's character, a law school student who works as an auto mechanic to pay his way through.

By pure chance, a Porsche he has been asked to deliver breaks down before reaching the destination and he ends up in a town in Connecticut, playing poker in an illegal backroom casino. After cleaning up, he ends up in a fight with a huge bully. Without giving away too much of the story, the bully ends up dead and Dempsey is wrongly accused of killing him.

Even more unluckily, the town ends up being run by the bully's father, who runs it as his own personal organized crime kingdom (which reminded me of so many "A-Team" storylines that I expected to see Hannibal Smith and crew build a tank out of whipped cream cans and garden hose and save Dempseys life).

The remainder of of the film follows Dempsey running from the kingpin's toadies and the local police force who are on his payroll as well.

In response to an earlier comment, Dempsey knows how to hotwire cars so quickly because he's been working as an auto mechanic.

In any case, this is a great Sunday afternoon video rental, or just to watch on cable TV where it appears every so often.

Thoroughly recommended.

Sorry, But I'm Not Going To Root For A Punk

[ccthemovieman-1 · 2/10 · 15 May 2007]

I just felt way too much of a Class B-type feel to this film to be appealing. In other words, this wasn't a classy-looking or sounding film. The best thing it had going for itself was the beginning in which there was an incredible scene involving a super-obnoxious punk who was looking for trouble.

Unfortunately, this "punk" turned out to be Patrick Dempsey playing "Charlie Farrow," and he was the main star of the film. Dempsey was way too cocky and unlikeable for me to be a sympathetic good-guy character. I could not root for him. In real life, by the way, "Farrow") would have been thrown out of the gambling casino (or poker game, in this case) LONG before any trouble started.

its one of those films..

[frog_chorus · 10/10 · 7 September 2004]

its one of those films that you discover when you cant sleep and then switch on the telly at 3am , its really quite gripping , i love the two crooked cops who try to make a few bob out of it then end up crashing off the top of the car park , Dempsey once again excels at playing the clueless geek and ken Pogue is the ultimate bad guy . The slightly eerie small town Connecticut atmosphere is created really well in this , i wouldn't say its a Hitchcock although i would defo buy the DVD if it came out , some films just get a little cult following and this is one ! I'm with all those who like this one !

Run of the mill?

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 20 September 2018]

Run is directed by Geoff Burrowes and written by Dennis Shryack and Michael Blodgett. It stars Patrick Dempsey and Kelly Preston. Music is by Phil Marshall and cinematography by Bruce Surtess.

Patrick Dempsey just prior to making Run was making a marker in Rom-Com territories, so it was a surprise to many upon its release to find Dempsey the central figure in a chase thriller. Though ordinary in the grand scheme of things, it's a very tidy picture. Sprinkled with quality chase sections and nifty action work, so it's easy to forgive the lack of likable characters on show. This includes Dempsey's Charlie Farrow, who is just a little too smug and full of himself to initially get us rooting for his survival.

Narrative encompasses dirty cops pandering to the mobsters calls, the latters henchmen annoyingly one note, while Preston's sultry babe act is vastly under nourished in context to Farrow's situation. Naturally there's a good cop as well, there has to be of course, but by and large Charlie is on his own and up against it, where a whole town is hell bent on handing him into the mob boss (Ken Pogue) who wrongly blames him for the death of his bully boy son (Alan C. Peterson).

Come the somewhat disappointing finale, where the final face off is all too brief, you hopefully should feel entertained enough for time spent watching. It's not brilliant or remotely original, but enough twists, action, suspense and even comedy mark it out as above average fare. 6.5/10

TV acting on the big screen

[tpbglass · 2/10 · 21 August 2020]

This is one terrible "film"! Dempsey really solidified his status as a prime time soap opera actor with this role. What a hack. In fact, the only possible explanation for the high rating of this film must come from lusty reviewers.

There is nary a redeeming quality to be found here. You may think bad acting is easy enough to overlook; lots of films survive that curse, but the script, editing, stunts actually make the acting seem almost passable. Seriously, pay attention any time a punch gets thrown. There is a slight pause as everyone tries to remember how the action is supposed to play out. Punch in the gut-pause-throw yourself back against the wall. This is every fight scene!

I could go on, but I invite you to check out this film for yourself, and see if you can sit through the whole thing. Good luck!

Surprising-good chase film

[isenberg-e · 9/10 · 24 July 2002]

OK, it isn't Lawrence of Arabia, but this film is a fun chase movie that pits a college kid against the combined might of a small community crime figure and many of his paid-off local cops. The ways Patrick Dempsey, the hero, succeeds is a far cry from the super-competent methods of previous and more formulaic eras. There is just the right mixture of humor and suspense that makes one enjoy this film in spite of knowing that it isn't exactly high-brow entertainment.

Made when CGI was not applied or used at all

[jordondave-28085 · 6/10 · 21 July 2023]

(1991) Run THRILLER

This is like a 1980's version of Jason Bourne which many people ( in this case the city) are after one particular person and that is Patrick Dempsy as Charlie as a result of an accidental death of a wealthy Don's son, Denny Halloran (A. C. Peterson) during a casino game match, uncaused by him but Denny still wants him dead anyway because he's bullheaded and is willing to put a huge price on his head. Actress Kelly Preston plays the love interest. Expect a lot of far fetched things to happen but this was still the era when CGI wasn't used at all, just natural car crashing and jumping!

Patrick Dempsey Mania!

[Captain_Couth · 3/10 · 1 July 2004]

Run (1991) was another star vehicle for one of Hollywood's strangest leading men Patrick Demspey. A reed thin actor with an average mug who made a name for himself during the late 80's through the early 90's. Run was one of his last roles as a leading man. In this film, Patrick plays a very naive guy who manages to get into an "card game" with some very shady individuals. Not one of the brightest bulbs (or street smart), he manages to tick off the son of a hard boiled gangster. Dumb kid, he didn't know when to quit and he winds up on the "run".

I thought this movie was kind of cool when I was in high school (maybe because I always watched the first half and never had a chance to finish it) but it's just another "man wanted" type of flick. I saw it again a few years later and I was completely unimpressed. I don't know why I went out of my way to watch it because it blew big time.

Below average.

C

Many unique scenes!

[sjtom49 · 22 July 2002]

The other reviews explain the plot so I won't repeat it. What really struck me about this movie was the many unique chase and fight scenes. For example, when was the last time you saw a foot chase through bowling alley pins and the machinery that sets them up? Or a car chase through a carnival lot? The scene on top of the building with our hero and the thugs reminded me of a 3 stooges routine. There's also one of the most unique ways of killing someone you'll ever see! I stumbled upon this movie without knowing anything about it and was thoroughly entertained. 3 out of 4!

"Life is a gamble man".

[lost-in-limbo · 6/10 · 13 January 2012]

The protagonist will learn it's going to be one of those days, where you are going to be riding your luck. A law student wins a poker game unknowingly against the son of a mob boss, but things get even worse when a freak accident leaves him running for his life with the mob and police after him. This early nineties thriller is a mildly distracting and accessible on-the-run narrative with a collection chases on foot and in car with a decent Patrick Dempsey in the lead. Quite predictable and formulaic, but it's nippy pace makes it move along smoothly (where it moves from one scene to another) and the script keeps its rather simple never letting it get over-complicated by just concentrating on the chaos that is erupting. Along for the ride is the ravishing Kelly Preston and then the mob figures Ken Pogue and Sean McCann. Plus a bonus, where can you see a death by mechanical rabbit.

"I don't talk to dead men.".

A college student's summer road trip turns into a nightmare when he's unjustly accused of murdering the only son of a ruthless crime lord.

[lbaldwinsmith2003 · 7/10 · 28 June 2007]

"RUN" I thought the movie was a truly tense and a brutal experience. I enjoyed it considerably. The tension in the movie was built up amazingly well! Thanks to the director Geoff Burrowes, the lead role: Patrick Dempsey (Charlie Farrow) and Kelly Preston (Karen Landers). I also enjoyed it because the cast were extremely true and believable. They connected with the audience making them grit their teeth in hatred for the corrupt police and the Halloran family.

The only thing I would criticize about the film is that parts of it were tongue and cheek for instance the beginning when his friends say "You Are!" all at the same time. Little things like that lowered my opinion slightly.

In Conclusion, I thought "Run" was a very good film despite it's age and i strongly recommend you rent or even buy the DVD if you haven't already seen it!!! I gave it a 7 out of 10

Forgettable flotsam

[=G= · 5/10 · 23 November 2003]

"Run" is a simple-minded B-flick potboiler in which Dempsey is involved in the accidental death of a mob boss' son and subsequently spends all his time running from the mob and crooked cops. An uninspired little action-comedy, this flick blows it's only chance for romance and concentrates everything on action which is all low budget stunts, car chases, and just plain running around. Passable and forgettable. (C)

Great movie

[crews702 · 9/10 · 3 March 2014]

Great movie. I'm just PO'ed that it never came out on DVD. It's about a 20 something year old kid who's supposed to drop off a Porsche for his boss. On his way, the car breaks down & he finds himself at a local poker game. At this game, he inadvertently upsets the son of the guy who runs the town. After the game is over, he tries to bully Patrick Dempsey (the star), and he trips and falls and dies. The father takes out a $50,000 bounty on him. With everybody in town wanting a piece of the action, he has only one option left, run. Now he's on the run the cops and the father's long reach. With only a reluctant Kelly Preston for help, will he succeed?

Frantic, cartoon-like, redundant , mindless, I could go on.......

[merklekranz · 4/10 · 19 October 2007]

Like seeing six or seven 10 minute action shorts all strung together. Repetitious to the point of monotony, the same chase is repeated only in differing locations. The miraculous wonder boy not only takes on the mob, but a corrupt police force as well, with great success I might add. This movie is totally unbelievable. There is no plot other than the continuous chase of a wrongly accused automobile delivery boy who suddenly transforms into James Bond. Only the chase locations change, restaurant, casino, hospital garage, greyhound track, etc. What does not change is the shallowness of this film. Frantic, cartoon-like, redundant, mindless, I could go on.... - MERK

CHEER! - (8 stars out of 10)

[BJG-Reviews · 8/10 · 23 December 2019]

The stage curtains open ...

It's 1991. Action films have reached new heights behind the popularity of Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Steven Seagal, Chuck Norris, Mel Gibson and ... Patrick Dempsey? Uh, yep! Even scrawny, skinny, little Patrick Dempsey made his bid in the action genre with this oft overlooked film, "Run".

A little bit smug and a gambling legend in his own mind, Charlie Farrow (Dempsey) inadvertently gets into hot water on a road trip when he is shown the way to a gambling house while waiting for a car to be repaired. While he is there, the cards fall his way (as they often do) and his winnings enrages Denny, the son of a known mobster in town. When Charlie tries to leave and Denny tries to stop him, Denny ends up dead in a freak accident and soon everyone is hot on Charlie's tail. In a town where he knows nobody, Charlie is on the run. His only hope is trusting in a beautiful, young woman who saw it all happen.

Right at the particular time that "Run" was released, I was on a Patrick Dempsey kick. I had just finished watching most of his films up to that point including, "Can't Buy Me Love", "Loverboy", "In The Mood", and "Mobsters" (which came out that same year). I walked into the video store, and after returning these films, there was "Run" ... sitting there on the shelf, waiting to be watched. I picked up one of the boxes, turned it over and read the back. Kelly Preston is in this too? Cool! I checked it out that day. And I loved every minute of it.

Even though Dempsey is certainly not your muscle bound, or even suave type of action hero, he still manages to pull this one off very well. There were a few silly over-the-top moments, but they are forgivable and enjoyable. There were some memorable moments too including the very last line in the movie. The soundtrack is fitting, the story plausible, and the acting on par. I recommend this lost gem at a very solid 8 stars out of 10. A personal favorite.

Complete Crap...

[atomicis · 2/10 · 25 August 2020]

Wow, I was never certain that a lot of reviews here are fake, but anyone who could give this dreck higher than a four rating is seriously brain damaged. Just really, really bad film-making. If I had to say something good about this waste of film, I guess I admit that the female lead is quite attractive. But please, don't waste your time with this poor excuse for a movie!

Run Run Run !!!

[thebigmovieguy · 1 August 2003]

"Run" tells the story of law student Charlie Farrow (Patrick Dempsey) whose working part time as a mechanic on a campus in Boston. His boss offers him money to deliver the car to a man in Atlantic City. Unfortunately, the car breaks down only half way to Atlantic City. Charlie leaves the car in a garage for repairs and enters a casino/restaurant ran by the local mob. As a lucky gambler, Charlie plays poker with the mobster's son who doesn't accept failure and gets in a fight with Charlie. The guy accidently kills himself in a bad fall, leaving Charlie as the only witness. The mobster sends his goons and the police after Charlie who can't prove his innocence without the help of a beautiful croupier who saw everything.

*SPOILERS*

I must say this movie contains some never before seen action scenes (to my experience) in a movie. 1) Charlie is chased down a bowling alley. 2) Charlie gets thrown of the top of a building but hangs on after a henchman's pants. 3) Charlie kills the mobster with the "bait" used in dog races.

A great performance from highly underrated actor Patrick Dempsey who has yet starred in a big blockbuster. Kelly Preston is gorgeous and also gives a believable performance. The rest of the cast is okay as well as the direction and script. This movie is fast paced which makes it so entertaining to watch more than once. I bought this movie and recommend it to anyone who loves chase movies such as "The Fugitive", "US Marshals", "The Hunted" and the new movie "Pressure" (which looks much like "Run"). Overall, a nice little movie worth a least one watch and a 7 rating on 10.

Run Charlie Run

[view_and_review · 5/10 · 8 October 2020]

This movie took a lot of liberties with its plot; such that it would've been better as a comedy.

Charlie Farrow (Patrick Dempsey) was an extremely good or extremely lucky poker player. While on his way to Atlantic City he gets introduced to an illegal backroom casino where he tries his hand at poker there. He was cleaning up, but one player couldn't accept losing: Denny Halloran (Alan C. Peterson). He hated losing so much that he was going to physically make Charlie continue playing. In his attempts to corral Charlie he tripped, hit his head and died. This was witnessed by no less than a dozen people.

Now here's where it gets shoddy. Instead of people calling the paramedics, they all begin to panic and attempt to detain Charlie. Why? Because Denny Halloran is the son of Matt Halloran (Ken Pogue), a local mob boss. The word gets to daddy Halloran that his son is dead and--because criminals don't reason very well--father wants Charlie dead. He has worked it into his mind that Charlie either killed his son or was the direct cause of his son's death, and for that Charlie must die. Now Charlie must run.

Come to find out that Big Halloran runs the entire Podunk town of Sawtucket, or Pawtucket, or whatever the place was called, so Charlie has no where to run or hide. He is incapable of escaping this one-horse town which seems to have a police chopper at its disposal and no end to corrupt cops. Charlie's running takes him all over while crooked cops and gangsters chase him with guns ablazing.

When I watched this movie back in the early 90's I thought it was cool. Watching it again almost 30 years later all I can think is, "Why, when I saw this I didn't just run?"

Uncompromising Action Flick

[Rodrigo_Amaro · 8/10 · 4 August 2010]

"Run" is pretty much like the title says it is. A story about a Law student (Patrick Dempsey) running away from the police and some Mafia guys after been involved in the accidental death of the son of a mob boss while gambling in a small town.

If you enjoy movies with great escapes, car chases and one innocent guy finding a way to solve some problems and arranging another ones this film is for you! But I must warn you, don't expect too much intelligence, or even better don't expect any kind of cleverness whatsoever here. This movie is just fun to watch, a brainless experience where you're gonna see some dumb moments and a plot hole bigger than the sun.

OK, I'll spoil the fun a little bit. What happened to the gangster's son was an accident while trying to punch Dempsey's character (the guy tripped on a small tree). It all happened in a casino which was supposed to have a surveillance system with thousands of cameras. Okay this is not the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino but it's still a casino. If this surveillance system was used it could save a lot of trouble and no one (except the annoying gangster's son) would have died. But in the end the gangster (played by Ken Pogue, this guy really looks like Karl Malden) uses a modern surveillance system in order to find where Dempsey is (in some part of the hotel). In short: pointless.

I've read here many people complaining about the editing quoting as a work of a drunken editor or something similar. Well, I haven't noticed anything wrong with it, I think that it was way better than many recent movies I watched lately with that shaky camera with no planning. The action scenes was good (the gateway in the mall was my favorite), the acting was the usual for a movie of its kind, nothing exceptional.

Again, it is fun to watch. Go for it and don't trash it because it's not so great like "The Fugitive". 8/10