When you see the latest corporate entertainment juggernaut hurtling at you, what are your options? When I saw X-Men: Days of Future Past (what?) hurtling at me, I thought: I can either jump aboard or I can swerve off-road. In this instance, I chose to swerve off-road — I’ve seen Godzilla; I’ve done my time — and although it could have ended in disaster, and I could have been hurled into a ditch or something, it actually worked out great, as I swerved off-road straight into Run & Jump, which is a lovely film, just lovely, and although nothing gets blown up, it does star Maxine Peake, whose performance may very well blow you away. (I am now even minded to think Ms Peake is the greatest actress since I last said someone else was the greatest actress, whenever that was.)
Run & Jump is an Irish production, shot in County Kerry, and is an intimate family drama although don’t run for cover, as it’s not one of those intimate family dramas whereby everyone gathers at the childhood home (for a funeral, usually; in weak wintery light, usually) to air grievances they’ve nursed for years as it sleets outside and sea-birds screech. (It is always set by the sea, usually.) This film’s subject matter is gloomy but, interestingly, this is not a gloomy film. Instead, it is spilling with warmth, humour, colour, life, plus the weather is mostly nice. Balmy, sunny, with the occasional rain, but nothing to get worked up about
Ms Peake plays Vanetia, who has bright-red curly hair, and who is optimistic, vivacious, fun-loving, sexy but who is also rebuilding her world after her carpenter husband Conor (Edward MacLiam) has suffered a stroke.
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