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The Indian Runner (1991)

Drama | 127 minutes
3,47 198 votes

Genre: Drama

Duration: 127 minuten

Country: United States / Japan

Directed by: Sean Penn

Stars: David Morse, Viggo Mortensen and Valeria Golino

IMDb score: 6,9 (9.968)

Releasedate: 20 September 1991

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The Indian Runner plot

The story is about two brothers. One brother is a police officer and an ex-farmer, who has a happy life with a wife and a child. The other brother is a returned Vietnam veteran who is angry at everything and everyone. He tries to come back to life with his brother and it is very difficult for him.

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avatar van Sergio Leone

Sergio Leone

  • 4181 messages
  • 2875 votes

Mediocre.

On paper, The Indian Runner has everything to succeed, but the story remains too flat for the entire running time. Frank is a traumatized bastard and brother Joe tries to get through to him, but without success. Although the ending is the only correct one, it didn't interest me at all. The repetitive nature kills the film.

The cast also disappoints me a bit. I somewhat expected Charles Bronson not to be able to touch me, but David Morse and especially Viggo Mortensen should be able to do better. I find both gentlemen extremely flat here: Morse is boring and I hardly believed his pain, Mortensen is mainly loud without making an impression.

Sean Penn has proven to be a decent director with his later films, but I cannot really call this debut successful. The intended emotional impact is missing. The biggest culprit of this seems to me - besides the main cast - to be the too long running time.

Tight 2.5

dutch flagTranslated from Dutch · View original

avatar van scorsese

scorsese

  • 12261 messages
  • 10481 votes

Reasonable film about a police officer whose brother returns from the war. A bit slow and, especially because of the length, rather long-winded. The relationship between the two brothers is well developed and the entire finale and especially the scene in the bar is the best part of the film. An excellent cast with the strongest role reserved for Viggo Mortensen.

dutch flagTranslated from Dutch · View original

avatar van Lovelyboy

Lovelyboy

  • 3389 messages
  • 2494 votes

Just working on this family drama while I actually expected more crime or mafia when I bought it, but that is not something that has to matter with a director like Penn and such a cast. So just turn.

In any case, the story revolves around the brothers Frank and Joe, who both follow their own path, differ in character and are in different phases of life. The feeling of nostalgia when Frank returns from Vietnam is initially nice, but Frank's restless character also appears to be beyond what Vietnam has made of him. The attraction/repulsion reaction within the family and especially around Frank is something that follows like a common thread with improvement, deterioration and sometimes dramatic events. The decent cast and at times the chemistry between the two actors Morse and Mortensen are strong, with the latter in particular seeming completely at home in his role.

Key seems to be the aforementioned nostalgia with flashbacks and the image of being a carefree child where misery and real uncertainty only begins in adulthood. Everyone has their struggles and issues where Frank still doubts everything and the meaning of life. In addition, every house appears to have its cross regarding happiness and disaster and 'loving' also means letting go. And with that, you would say, The Indian Runner has a lot to offer and the film can count on a beautiful image of the times and good acting.

But this is far from a home run because it all happens at too slow a pace for me, while it is not exactly exciting. Moreover, I just miss some connection with the characters and the story and in the pub scene, for example, I miss a fight between Frank and Joe that could have spiced things up a little more. The final verdict is solid and there is undoubtedly a good idea behind it and Arquette is adorable as always, but the film lacks that extra incentive that takes it to a higher level.

dutch flagTranslated from Dutch · View original