THE STORY – Professional teacher’s pet and amateur harpist Meg plans to stage a full, musical reenactment of the shooting that took place at her high school 10 years ago.
THE CAST – Alyssa Marvin, Sophia Torres, Patrick Wilson, Margaret Cho, Molly Ringwald, Yul Vazquez, Bill Camp & Elizabeth Marvel
THE TEAM – NB Mager (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 96 Minutes
“It’s called catharsis, Meg. It’s like an enema, but for your heart.”
Firearms are now the leading cause of death for children under the age of 18. The kids are not alright. Inevitably, adults assume we know better than kids how to solve their problems. We would rather talk at children about their issues rather than treat them like the humans they are. Adults have been failing the kids for decades now, with no end in sight, centering on what we think is best, whether we’ve got good intentions or not. Into that space enters “Run Amok,” a story about kids, for better or worse, taking recovery into their own hands. It doesn’t always pack the satirical punch it intends, but there’s something powerful about seeing kids find their way through trauma.
Writer-director NB Mager makes her feature directorial debut with “Run Amok,” an adaptation of her short film of the same name. Both films star Alyssa Marvin as Meg, whose mom was killed in a school shooting a decade ago. Meg was young when it happened, but the tragedy still stings, especially since the school’s measures to protect itself only exacerbate the tension. As the anniversary of the shooting approaches, Meg discovers the magic of “catharsis,” thanks to a film reel and a helpful librarian. As a musician (she’s a proficient harpist, after all), the wheels start turning. Could a cathartic reenactment of the shooting help purge the school of its negative emotions? She becomes convinced and gets permission from one of her favorite teachers, Mr. Shelby (Patrick Wilson), to develop a musical performance for the anniversary.
No one really takes Meg seriously anyway. Frankly, she’s a bit of a dork, the sort of teacher’s pet who even the teachers get sick of. The principal (Margaret Cho) just assumes she’ll perform a quick, touching song, like “Amazing Grace,” in honor of the shooting, and that will be that. Obviously, that’s not what Meg has in mind. Enlisting her cousin Penny (Sophia Torres) to sing, and casting a slew of other students, Meg develops an entire musical about the shooting, far surpassing what the teachers expect (or want).
A student composing a full musical about her school’s shooting feels like perfect fuel for a satire. And while the commentary on trauma and school shootings often hits home, the comedy rarely does. It creates a tonal mismatch pervading the entire film. Comedic ideas are packed into the film, like having all the teachers carrying red handguns that fire rubber bullets, and the invasive PTAA (Parent Teacher Arms Association), but they’re more set dressing than truly funny. Instead, it’s the dramatic moments that work best.
That’s largely thanks to Marvin’s captivating performance. She finds the sweet spot between persistent and lovable. Meg has had a strange childhood after growing up in the same school in which her mother, a teacher, was murdered. Her aunt and uncle (Molly Ringwald and Yul Vazquez) do their best, but they don’t care for her as their own. Even her teachers don’t always know what to do with her. The film piles on storylines that too often feel half-baked. Bill Camp’s shop teacher, Mr. Hunt, starts to lose his mind over persistent squirrels who become targets for his rubber bullet gun. Elizabeth Marvel plays the mother of the shooter from all those years ago, whom Meg tries to understand. Marvin captures all of this deep, confused grief and the desire to channel it into a piece of art that might help her process it better.
How do we expect kids to process all of this? Why wouldn’t it be confusing? Her desire for action, while the adults just bicker and shoot rubber bullets, is compelling and justified. We’ve let our children down, and it’s right that they try…something. The kids know what they need better than the teachers, the parents, or the PTAA. Yes, the musical performance is on-the-nose and over-the-top, but Meg is trying.
But does this really achieve catharsis? Well, maybe not quite. But “Run Amok” gets damn close. As a satire, it leaves a bit to be desired. Messy as the film may be, rarely have we seen a story about students processing their grief in such a profound, modern way. While I wish more of the dots connected, “Run Amok” is often quite moving.
