He once was a religious boy from a family with good values, and now he’s the sheriff’s most wanted man. The Runaway tells the life story of Jon Chryst and what made him transform from honorable to outlaw. As the movie makes its festival run, it’s already racked up many nominations including Best Picture. At the Orlando Film Fest, Richard Hench who plays Jon Chryst won Best Actor and Nick DeRuve won Best Script.
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The Runaway is a well told story, the development of Chryst keeps the momentum moving forward and the dialogue is realistic and compelling. Filmed in Big Bear, California the movie provides some fantastic scenery. Writer and director Nick DeRuve poured his heart into writing the script and making the movie as he shares.
“Writing is all about circumstance. At the time I started creating The Runaway I was living on my cousin’s floor in Santa Monica. I had just returned from a stretch in NY where I was developing another feature film, and inevitably failed to get the project into production. Fortunate as I was to have my cousin’s floor to sleep on, it can definitely keep you up at night questioning your life choices. I wrote a short story and sent it to 30 or so people and had a great response, especially from Richard Hench whom I’d been working with for years. One day we got In-N-Out and we decided that we could make The Runaway for the little bit of equity we had left over from my previously failed feature, which included a large chunk of Richard’s investment. What really helped me get the film made was Richard’s willingness to see my vision. And I don’t mean envision the film as I see it, I’m saying, we share the same ability to foresee the production as a whole. When we agreed to take this thing on together I moved into Richard’s and slept in a recliner of his until we got a couch.”
“I turned over three drafts of The Runaway in two months and we began construction on our first set. The initial plan was to shoot the film in small pieces over the stretch of the year and maybe accumulate some more funds as we go. That’s when I reconnected with Daemon Hillin at Benetone Films. We met a hand full of times before we decided we could afford a twelve day shoot, which for me is much better than having to coordinate 30 small shoots over a year. My day job for the last ten years has been working freelance in the grip and electric department on indie features, shorts, music videos and commercials. Most of the crew were people I have met along the way that wanted to support me and be a part of what I was trying to create. I held myself accountable for that and that is why it was such a special film that we are all very proud of. With the right team around you, you really can accomplish anything.”
We’re first introduced to an older Jon Chryst who is on the run and obviously fleeing from trouble. He looks like a good man and it makes you wonder what got him into this situation. He begins to write his story in hopes of someone understanding what he went through. Flashback to the start of his story, to when Jon was a just young boy living with his brother and parents on a farm. They’re a hardworking, farming family and Jon has a very strong bond with his brother Cole. After a traumatic event Jon’s life is turned upside down and apparently he believes his only option is to run a way.
Jon deserves compassion when he runs away, you want him to get better and make a good life for himself. Unfortunately, he tries to be the bad boy he’s not, but runs into the right people to help him get better at being a criminal. He has a little fun here and there, for example being hooked up with Sophie, a prostitute, who exposes his true personality.
It appears he recognizes that he can’t get by in life as a criminal, so he tries making an honest living. After convincing a family they need his services on their land, Jon appears to be a trustworthy man now. Jon and Cat Donovan (Stephanie Danielson), the daughter on the farm he’s working gradually build a romantic relationship. Considering the past events and actions by Jon, you should hate Jon Chryst, but you can’t, he’s too likeable of a character.
The movie provides timely explanations and flashbacks that shed light on past incidences and questions are answered. As the film nears the climax, there are several things getting ready to unravel. What will happen between him and Cat? How will he survive? What happened to his family and what specifically made him run in the first place? Check out the movie for answers and most importantly to find out Jon’s fate.
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