User Reviews

Saw this Indie drama at the High Peak Independent Film Festival. Lovely production values and some decent storytelling. Gentle pace to the film that starts to drag a bit after a while but Mark Addy, Lee Boardman and Tara Fitzgerald are all in good form and all the kid actors do a fine job.

Worth a look.

The movie skips a lot..one minute Angie is hiding with.the donkeys, the next minute they are in town on a cobblestone street trying to get away from the uncle and there were more situations..

We came across this British movie on Amazon streaming, I find its IMDb rating just about right.

It is about a very marginal coastal fishing family with a dad that boozes it a bit too much. But he has a good heart and on certain days they operate a beach donkey ride with their three donkeys. Mom just left right after the youngest was born, now about 8. There is a brother and the real glue of the family is the oldest, the girl just turning 16.

When dad just happens to die overnight in his bed, right after his mess of a younger brother gets out of prison for murder, the kids decide to run for it, along with two of the donkeys. They take a road trip, really mostly an off-road trip, to find mom as the lesser of the evils.

Naturally things don't turn out the way the kids imagined it but they get onto a better trajectory, at least as good as can be expected.

Plodding nonsensical storyline . Lovely locations but one of the poorest films I've seen in a while.

Watched this and wish I hadn't. Very slow and pretty ridiculous plot. Waste of the actors that were in it.

Such a beautifully told story, it had me gripped throughout. The film deals with some harsh realities with grit, grace, and humour; the children's performances are captivating, the scenery is stunning, the score is delightful. Well done Team The Runaways.

Sadly all the kids in this adventure in the countryside are very annoying and don't cause any sympathy to build with the viewer. It's not the greatest most believeable story to begin with, and the direction it takes is muddled and confusing. Plus usually when a deceased character appears throughout the movie it's just a cheap ploy to generate interest and feelings of pity towards the family. It rarely works, if ever. I didn't like it in Braveheart or Gladiator and certainly not here. There's beautiful countryside here, and the oldest daughter definitely shows that she will be a talent in the future. Unfortunately this was just an amateur effort and it showed. Any momentum it manages to gather is lost when something incredibly dumb is either said or done. Too many plot holes. Very unconvincing dialogue. Usually these types of movies I gravitate to, but there's nothing to recommend here. Someone went out of their way to unearth some of the most annoying songs ever created to plug into this sad effort. The final half hour is so ridiculously awful it's not even worth mentioning. The big "showdown" even the actors participating seemed to think it was ludicrous. They were grinning like they couldn't believe the cruel awful twist of fate that managed to stick them in this movie. It's like everybody just gave up. Dense rubbish. Sorry.....

Was lucky enough to watch an early screening of this in Sheffield with writer / cameraman / director Rich Heap present for a Q&A after the film. What a thoroughly absorbing film it is! The Q&A host after the film described the landscape as being one of the major characters in the film and she was not wrong. It makes you want to forget holidaying in sunny Spain and stick to the North York moors! The children act superbly, especially Molly, and Mark Addy obviously shines. We took our kids aged 10 and 12 to watch it. It's a very dark tale, but so refreshing for a film to appeal to the family audience without the usual disneyfication. Would completely recommend it.

Saw this film tonight at Hebden Bridge Picture House, with the surprise bonus of a Q&A with the director, afterwards. A moving film that will appeal to family audiences of all ages. A low budget production that succeeds in breaking through the limitations imposed by this stricture. The strong storyline is immersive from the get-go, with the haunting background of a family mystery, played out during a donkey trek from Whitby to Leyburn. Good story, Good cinematography, Good cast, Great acting from the 3 younger stars of the film. Slight criticism ....maybe 10 minutes too long?

I saw this in London. It reminded me in parts of some of Ken Loach's films. A story about survival I think. Some great scenes and music. Molly Windsor is superb as the elder sibling, as are the other children. Refreshingly different film. Think it is probably a 12, but 12A is wise. Go see it whilst it is still in cinemas, the Yorkshire scenery is a beautiful backdrop.

Saw this little Brit indie gem of a film in Halifax in West Yorkshire on a wet Sunday afternoon; didn't know much about it before hand but so glad went to see it. The director Richard Heap and two of the teen actors did a Q&A afterwards. The story opens in Whitby where the trio of kids are being raised ad hoc by their loving but heavy drinking Dad (played by Mark Addy) and after a family tragedy and the return of their violent uncle the kids flee with 2 of the donkeys from their seaside day job onto the North Yorkshire moors escaping and on the run. The story follows their adventures and charts their emotional as well as physical journey. It is touching, heartbreaking, witty, insightful and packs a big emotional wallop. Catch it if you can.

I went to see this film feeling very lukewarm about what to expect but was gripped . Funny and shocking in places, it rambles along just as the runaways do. The film succeeds in making you suspend disbelief as you surrender to the magic of it, as if made in a time before mobile phones and social media. Molly Windsor is magnetic as the teenager holding everything together.

I can't recommend this film enough. It is meticulously shot to create a beautifully watchable piece of art, yet the subject matter is gritty and at times harsh. Three children making a journey alone with a donkey is a brilliantly funny concept, but the poignancy of the reason for their travels makes it all the more appealing. A wonderful story of life's cruelties, the resourcefulness of the young and of sibling love. The child actors are astounding, especially rising star Molly Windsor, and they are solidly backed by the big names of Tara Fitzgerald and Mark Addy. All in the best traditions of classic British film-making. Set to be a classic I'd say.

Was completely blown away by the script and performances. Perfect little movie that I won't forget in a hurry. No clever tricks, just genuine honesty. Some interesting music choices that added to the unique feel. Stunning long shots that were beautiful and not contrived. It was perfect and deserves a bigger audience.

I saw this at a preview screening in Sheffield and was blown away by the story, the quality of the acting, and the beautiful use of the Yorkshire countryside - like an extra character in the film. It gave me a strong feeling of the classic British children's cinema of the 60s and 70s - stuff like The Railway Children, Walkabout, and the work of the Children's Film Foundation - in the way that the action is really led by the (incredible) child actors, and the sense of peril is really tangible and believable. I hope to see it again on general release, and really believe that in the future it will be regarded as one of the classics of the genre.

An amazing film and a captivating story. Filled with grit and warmth. Beautifully shot and the scenery is stunning. It's definitely a one to watch!

The Runaways is a heart-breaking yet extremely endearing story about three siblings Angie, Ben and Polly who, following a family tragedy, must travel across the North Yorkshire Moors with their two donkeys in search of a new home.

The cast and the characters they portray are a huge part of why this film is so good, they are all so authentic and believable which really helped my enjoyment of the film. Molly Windsor is so endearing as Angie, she effortlessly portrays the struggle between someone who must fulfil a mother role while at the same time wanting to be a regular teenager. Rhys Connah as Ben shows fantastic versatility switching between a character who understands his sisters' plight and sympathizes with her to someone who is extremely frustrated with their situation and does not know how to fully express it. Macy Shackleton's upbeat persona as Polly brings a shining light to the otherwise sad situation the siblings find themselves in. Lee Boardman plays Uncle Blythe with characteristic menace while at the same time showing flashes of humanity making his character much more that a regular film antagonist. Mark Addy and Tara Fitzgerald round off the cast as the siblings' Father Reith and Mother Maggie both giving deep and thought-provoking performances with the small amount of screen time they have.

The chemistry between the cast is great, you would be forgiven for thinking the three leads were related in real life. They deliver their lines with such authenticity and purpose, one scene that stood out to me was Angie admonishing Polly, "She's just a kid" Ben scolds her "So am I!" she angrily reminds him. The deliver was so great, and you really felt for the characters. My favourite scene is where Ben is tasked with distracting a guard at Grosmont railway station so they can smuggle the donkeys aboard and Rhys Connah is fantastically charming and witty in his attempt, going as far as to ask the guard for an autograph so that he has to wander off to find some paper, it is a truly great scene.

The film uses many beautiful locations throughout North Yorkshire from the sprawling bays of Whitby and Runswick to the gorgeous market town of Pickering and all the wonderful moorland in-between. I do not think I have ever seen Yorkshire look so beautiful on film before. Some of the aerial shots are absolutely fantastic and really help to set the scene and give the viewer a great picture of the places the siblings are traveling through and all of the beauty they contain. As someone who was born in Yorkshire and has travelled the region extensively it was great to see many places that I have visited myself and I really appreciate how well they were used in the film.

The film was directed and written by Richard Heap and although it is his first feature film it never feels like it due to its professional and competent nature of the whole project. Heap has stated that he wanted to create an old school Children's adventure story that people could watch and imagine themselves in the adventure, I would argue that he was successful and then some.

As a fan of independent films, I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a down to earth story, set in beautiful scenery with and extremely talented cast and crew.

The Runaways is available to purchase on DVD or digitally from TheRunaways. film.

A lovely Yorkshire family adventure tale a script worthy of talented actors with Mark Addy, Molly Windsor, Lee Boardman and co. With a fascinating tale of adventure and journey the children naively take, with long range shots of the the stunning Yorkshire Moors. Loved the scenic shots of natural landscapes. Lots of twists and turns on the way as the adventure and endurance of the children's fate pans out with dark moments of truth and twists that are revealed in finding family truths. I was fixated by the children's characters and relationships, and the donkeys which added humour and empathy to the tale. Deservedly a great independent film which I hope transcends to a wider audience.

I managed to see this at a pre-release screening, and I hope it goes on to a cinema release as it's one of the most beautiful films I've seen in ages... a lovely, lovely film. It deserves to go big... obviously made with love, gorgeous camera work, amazing North Yorkshire scenery and a perfect cast. Take your family and see it if you can. It's a family film, could be a modern day Railway Children, or Swallows and Amazons.

Absolutely loved this film. Adventurous and heart warming. Loved every minute watching this. The scenery and music complimented the wonderful actors!

A joy to watch

Set in Yorkshire the location and views are amazing. Good British cast, not forgetting excellent performances from the donkeys, and original music, including Tara Fitzgerald singing. At the end of the film you're left smiling!

Emotional rollercoaster with great performances from the young actors who in conjunction with the writer capture the spirit and humour of childhood.

Great views of North Yorkshire and the donkeys really add to the story. A must see.