Boring

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

The film is a finely crafted study of the slippery slope of moral compromise, set in a farming community of quite sympathetic and very believable characters going about lives of day-to-day and decision- to-decision, quiet survival. Superbly and beautifully shot with understated visuals that gently draw one in, the viewer becomes involved in a worsening chain of difficult paths the characters feel they must take, although they know that the outcomes could be failure of their finances, their morals, and their responsibilities to their children.The writer and director, Kimberly Levin (who brings stage directing experience to the task), displays a sure hand, uses no cheap tricks, and -- above all -- keeps faith with her viewers by framing conflicts honestly and by offering no easy answers. And despite whatever superlatives I use, the film is better than the words I can bring to bear describing it. See it: you will be enriched, as I was.

RUNOFF is a true movie-lover's movie. It takes us into a world that most of us know little about and explores it with a sophistication and class rarely seen in a debut film. The last half hour will have you on the edge of your seat. Joanne Kelly is a true star, her face brings you in like a silent movie star's would. It was so refreshing to see a movie that could have been so righteous dogmatic, instead allow its political charge to be simply experiential. It takes a tremendous amount of faith in the characters and the story to do that. Levin doesn't just present you this world, she puts you in surround sound of it. You truly feel as if you are there. Throughout the entire piece, her camera is enveloping you in the everyday beauty of this environment, and you will (like Betty) feel compelled to protect it with all you have.

What can I say about Runoff? As Paul Daniels would say (if he was in the least bit still relevant) "Not a lot". And, as the washed-up magician's hair disappeared as soon as he reached adulthood, the remnants from watching this movie will vanish from your mind as soon as it's over. Forgets thrills, spills and chills... This is more akin to a pedal boat ride in Bognor Regis. On a Sunday. With your grandparents. While listening to Radio 4.This farm is having financial troubles. A big warehouse firm is looking to buy the land. The family that live there are skint. And, they have other problems too... The father may have a terminal illness, the eldest son is a pothead, and the younger boy is a disobedient brat. Only the mother seems sane (Could it be... Because the writer/ director was a woman? Hmm) and even she gives into temptation by the end... Agreeing to dump some toxic waste in nearby water in exchange for much needed cash.And that's as exciting as it gets, folks. Believe it or not, NONE of these problems are solved by the end, and we'll left guessing if they get to hold onto their property, if the dad is sick or not, etc. I understand this is supposed to be a 'slice of life' kind of picture, but c'mon... You HAVE to make things a bit livelier than mom and son sharing a bong. Oh, I forgot... A disabled extraneous character, we've only seen for about five minutes beforehand, suffers chemical burns near the conclusion. WOW. Let's just say, I didn't feel a great sense of emotional investment.Everything, the acting, camera-work, pacing, is fine. It's just been applied to such a dull script, that it's all a bit of a wasted effort. Sort of like writing a school essay about 'What I Did This Weekend' in your best handwriting, with a quill feather. Not worth it. 5/10

Brilliant, insightful, provocative..shots of the Kentucky backdrop are gorgeous!! Amazing, intelligent piece written & directed by Kim Levin. The tragic family dynamic will make examine your relationship with your own family & how you see the world around you. JoAnn Kelly did a brilliant portrayal of a conflicted wife & mother, torn between keeping her family afloat or following her moral compass. Neal Huff is a distinguished actor who is well known for his realistic & capturing portrayals of the characters he plays. In Runoff he takes his talent to the next level, with his raw & conflicting emotion riveting the screen.Runoff is truly an emotional journey that will leave you rethinking the choices you make.