Review of The Indian Runner (1991) by Miles H — 17 Jan 2008

Everyone has somebody like VIggo Mortensen's tragic and infuriating character in their family, and I'm sure Sean Penn is no exception. He directs this dark family drama with surprising sensitivity and a real eye for raw human emotion without falling into sap.

While his first time directorial debut is a little overdramtic at times, with a few lines that border on corny here and there, for the most part, he has fashioned an unusually realistic, potent, and stirring piece about unconditional familial love and the ways in which the actions of a person can damn near break that sanctity.

Mortensen and Morse are both great as the brothers, Charles Bronson turns in a nice cameo as the dying patriarch, and Patricia Arquette gives the kind of performance that just makes you want to comfort her and assure her that things will get better.

It's not a perfect movie, but it's definitely worth several viewings, and it will likely remain in the mind for quite some time. The soundtrack is great as well. I'm glad someone finally put Jefferson Airplane's "Comin Back to Me" to good use.