Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

The Runner Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 2, 2024

What does running mean to you? Does it instantly evoke a perception of needing to escape or get away from something? Or does it instead perhaps indicate some desired goal nearby that can be attained by moving rapidly toward it? Is it simply a form of exercise, with no other real aspect? Running has been both a literal and metaphorical element in any number of films ranging from The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner to Chariots of Fire, but perhaps never quite like it's utilized in this breathtaking Iranian film by Amir Naderi. Often cited as one of the finest examples of so-called "post Revolutionary" Iranian cinema, The Runner is both life affirming and heartbreaking in about equal measure, and it is an absolute showcase for a remarkable young boy named Madjid Niroumand as an orphan named Amiro struggling to get by in a port environment that might be charitably described as hardscrabble. Niroumand grounds this film from the get go with an energetic but incredibly nuanced performance, and it's kind of remarkable that he didn't go on to a longer career (evidently at least somewhat by choice).

As one of the pull quotes on the trailer included with this release states in passing, The Runner can be seen as an Iranian equivalent to the Italian Neo-realist movement, and it hovers somewhere between an almost quasi-documentarian approach and a more purely "cinematic" vision that is actually kind of amazing, given that vérité ambience, and which approaches magical realism at times. The film is perhaps "slight" on its narrative, in that it's a vignette driven enterprise following Amiro's struggles, but that doesn't mean there isn't momentum or, more importantly, emotion (in droves). Just take a look at Niroumand's unbelievably expressive face in some of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review, and that may give some indication of how much emotion suffuses this exemplary effort. Niroumand is on hand in an audio supplement detailing at least a bit about his life since the film, but for those interested there's a documentary about him called A Boy's Own Story that some may want to check out.

The Runner Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Runner is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of The Criterion Collection with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.37:1. Criterion's fold out leaflet provides the following information about the master:

This new digital master was created from the 35 mm original camera negative, which was scanned and restored in 2K resolution. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered from the mono optic track.

This is an often very evocative looking presentation that preserves the intimate feel of the visuals, which can admittedly be on the intermittently soft side in some of the more cinéma vérité suffused outdoor moments in particular. That said, detail levels are nicely consistent throughout, including everything from the natural features of the coastal setting as well as "manmade" items like fabrics or the bottles and cans that Amiro collects to make some scratch. Grain is not especially textured or thick, but resolves naturally throughout. The palette can be nicely suffused if often slightly skewed toward yellows, which provides a kind of subliminal counterpoint to some of the squalor being depicted.

The Runner Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Runner features LPCM Mono audio in the original Persian. The quasi-urban setting offers a wealth of ambient environmental effects which help to provide quite a bit of energy throughout the presentation, but more calming water sounds are also a regular feature. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Runner Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Amir Naderi and Ramin Bahrani (HD; 21:24) is a 2023 conversation between these longtime friends and collaborators. In English.


• Madjid Niroumand and Amir Naderi (HD; 37:35) is an audio supplement featuring the reunion of star and director in 2022. Audio can be just a little distorted when it sounds like participants get a bit too close to the microphone. In English.


• Waiting (HD; 47:43) is a 1974 offering from Naderi which the director sees as the "spiritual precursor" to The Runner. This is the piece's debut on home media.


• Afterword to Waiting (HD; 4:01) is a brief closing statement about the film by Naderi. This is accessible under the submenu for Waiting.


• Where Do You Stand Today, Amir Naderi? (HD; 13:22) is an autobiographical piece by Naderi made for a 2018 retrospective of his career.


• Trailer (HD; 1:24)

In lieu of an insert booklet Criterion provides a foldout leaflet that contains an interesting essay by Ehsan Khoshbakht, along with the usual cast and crew and technical information. A few stills are offered as well.

The Runner Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As someone who has lived most of my adult life in a region dominated by the ghost of Phil Knight and impact of Nike, running and runners have been a constant focus of everyday life, even if I personally may prefer a slower pace for getting exercise (in terms of a literal approach). But the motivation of runners for running is kind of a subtext for what might be called the zeitgeist of at least a particular demographic of the Pacific Northwest, and if Naderi never (and perhaps wisely) never overtly delineates what running is for Amiro, there's the sense that it's another physical manifestation of the "hey, I'm here!" sensibility that informs Amiro's manic shouts to passing ships and/or airplanes. This is a remarkable document of childhood and is as redolent in its own way as probably better known international efforts like Bicycle Thieves or even The 400 Blows. Technical merits are solid and the supplements very interesting and worthwhile. Highly recommended.