Larry Silverstein Set in the beautiful countryside of Ireland, this deliberately paced drama, laced with humor, managed to keep me engaged throughout. It's quite well acted and ably directed by Steph Green, who co-wrote the script with Ailbhe Keogan.Maxine Peake, whose screen presence I found rather dazzling, portrays Vanetia Casey, a red-haired vibrant free spirit married to Conor and the mother of Lenny and Noni. Conor, also strongly portrayed by Edward MacLiam, is just returning to the family home after suffering a debilitating stroke. He had been in a coma for a month, followed by 4 months of rehab.Will Forte is also excellent in the role of Dr. Ted Fielding, a brilliant American researcher and neuropsychologist. Under a grant, he's doing a research case study on Conor's rare recovery from this type of stroke. He'll be monitoring Conor's progress 24/7 while living with the Casey family.They'll be two major concurrent themes at work here. One is the powerful chemistry and attraction between Vanetia and Ted, which will lead to all kinds of underlying tension in the home. Another will be the dramatic family dynamics that play out as they try to adjust to Conor's limited capacities, as he strives to improve in his recovery.All in all, despite some depressive moments, the filmmakers find a way to add some humor along the way and not get too maudlin in the process. Also, Peake's wonderful performance adds so much life to the film and is worth the price of admission.

Dan-121 Run & Jump is a beautiful, slickly produced movie, with great performances from the cast. The plot involves an American neuro-psychologist, Dr. Ted Fielding, who stays with the Casey family in Ireland to observe the father of the family, Conor, who has suffered a stroke that has changed his personality.Ted is a reserved and slightly awkward professor who is dedicated to his work, leaving no time for family. Ted initially keeps himself detached from members of the family but gradually becomes emotionally involved. This is especially so with Vanetia, Conor's wife, who despite having to deal with the difficult circumstances that have been thrust upon her family, maintains a cheery and optimistic outlook ("schnitzeling" it, as she says) on things. However, Vanetia's increasing frustration with Conor's inability to reconnect with his family and his occasionally child-like behaviour, nudges her to form a bond with Ted, the only other adult in the household. The initially guarded Ted begins to open up and the complicated emotions that ensue create a dilemma for himself and Vanetia.Maxine Peake is genial and radiant as Vanetia. Will Forte gives another understated and sensitive performance, similar to his breakout performance in Nebraska. Edward MacLiam is effective as the mentally damaged Conor. Child actors Brendan Morris and Ciara Gallagher also give solid performances as Lenny and Noni, respectively.Apart from the central premise, the movie is peppered with light amusing moments (laugh yoga, the toilet scene, sympathy Susan, Ted's "birthday gift" from a friend etc.) that feel genuine and add a comedic touch. It also makes use of montage sequences that effectively build upon the underlying emotions. I found the ending slightly melancholy but strangely hopeful. This is probably due in part to Ted's emotional awakening. The final scenes showing Ted's expressions are so genuinely affecting that it leaves you pensive. The film raises difficult questions and does not try to pretend that there are easy answers, which feels authentic. As the saying goes, life is complicated. How you deal with and what you can take away from it are ultimately what that matters the most. 10 out of 10.

M MALIK run and jump 2013 starting Maxine Peake,Will Forte,Edward Macliam the cast impressed me with the acting i never expected.the plot:American doctor goes to Ireland to help out Casey's husband Conor after he suffers a stroke that changes him completely.the direction was good by Steph Green all the scenes looked beautiful a treat for the eyes.i wasn't expecting anything but the surprise was that i actually liked this movie.its got everything,emotions,good acting the script was strong with dialogs that will get you hooked on for a long time.overall its one of the film one must see make no mistake about it that its a sad movie no way guys its got messages and a happy ending.My Rating For Run & Jump 2013 is 5/10 a 5 star film this it.recommended.

Alexiville-737-317528 As an American living in Dublin (Ireland) and an avid film lover, I had the pleasure to attend the Run & Jump premier at the Galway film festival (located on west coast of Ireland) last night. I am a huge fan of will forte's comedy and think that he has successfully crossed over to a dramatic roles with Run & Jump (think Jeff Daniels)... And, for the film, it was a powerful story of a family faced with a challenging change to their lives - I don't think their was a dry eye in the theater... This film has the great qualities of European independent film making, with its deep exploration of human experience... How people deal with extraordinary circumstances in their own lives but which are unfortunately difficult realities for many. My connection to this film was very personal - my mother's personality changed due to a chronic medical condition - and so it helped me see how others deal with these experiences - especially since it is based on the writer's personal experience with her own father... I think it would also help those who have not had direct experience understand what other's go through. Therefore whether the writer intended to or not, this film is an important expression of these challenges and can serve (inadvertently) as a contributing form of therapy. Please note cinematography (understated and spectacular), sounds (you can feel and hear basic movements such as the scratching of a beard hence drawing you into the characters thoughts) and for non-Irish please also note that jumping into the freezing Irish Sea is a right of passage here... I can say more but will conclude that I also believe this film is important to our society and should have access to the general public... (Typos here due to iPad keyboard)