Run (15)****

Dir: Scott Graham

With: Mark Stanley, Amy Manson, Marli Siu

Runtime: 77 minutes

AFTER Iona and Shell, writer-director Scott Graham continues his run of films with one word titles. Maybe it’s a good luck thing: if so, it is working.

Beginning with a quote from The Boss’s Born to Run, Graham’s tale is set in Fraserburgh rather than New Jersey but the essentials are the same: young ambition thwarted, frustration boiling over, the desire to get away. In this case, the one tempted to run is Finnie (Mark Stanley, as seen in Game of Thrones). But with a family of his own to support, Finnie fears his chance has gone. Maybe one more night recreating the car races of his past will reignite his spark.

Run is essentially a sombre story, and at first glance you fear it could be another doom-laden misery fest. But terrific performances, particularly from Stanley and Marli Sui (Our Ladies), and some wonderful writing make it shine.