The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

Chariots of Fire for atheists. I was hoping for a little more profundity. There isn't much you can do to make long distance running exciting, and I'd like to note I ran cross country in high school. Not well, but I did run.

A great film that looks at the changing social attitudes in Britain through the eyes of a rebellious British youth. The film has sharp criticisms of a culture that revolves around money and success without entirely dismissing it. The final 10 minutes are marvelously edited leading to great conclusion.

80% percent British social realsim and 20% French New Wave makes this strong, comprehensive and yet poetic movie although at times it can seem a bit didactic, however especially the end scene offers a revolutionary praxis and an example of revolt. Colin Smith is a genuine character who has his ambitions and dilemmas in a harsh social setting and the director uses running which is physical in order to evoke a temporal and and even emancipatory effect, because of its transcendental connotations.

A cracking film which stays true to the book but adds in the glorious mangled grimaces of Tom Courtenay to boost its downtrodden northerner levels by 75%. While some of the flashbacks are a bit unexpected and the montages are a tad corny, the pieces come together in an emotional story of hardship and struggle, and you could hardly feel more sympathy for Angry Young Man's need to get one over his authoritarian oppressors, even at the expense of his own freedom. Supreme acting and storytelling.

I didn't care for certain touches like the goofy music or the sped-up bits, but the flashback style was interesting. Richardson drops flashbacks on you without warning, but without being jarring. Tom Courtenay makes a very relatable protagonist, with his cheeky rebelliousness and self-destructive whims. I liked him a little more in Billy Liar, but he's quite good here as well. As a fan of Michael Redgrave, I wish he'd been put to better use.

This beloved British classic has been on my must-see list for a very long time but, disappointingly, it didn't wow me.

A truly great British film about rebellion. The acting is great, the story is compelling. One of the best social commentaries I've seen in a while.

# 771

cool ending

Slightly let down by some of the more stylised stuff (the sped-up bits, the quirky music, the montage of them buying stuff with the insurance money), though for the most part a very interesting film full of angst and repressed emotion. The ending is amazing.

I can't really get into these British angry young man movies, but it's not without a moment or two, like when he throws the race.

795

Some parts of the dialogue were just too British for me. But a great look at social structures and all that. What an ending

Really nice working class movie. Brilliant acting and directing.

I'm impressed

Classic

You don't have to be a long distance runner to be lonely. Trust me.

Courtenay and director Tony Richardson are both in top form here. This would be the last of Richardson's "kitchen sink" films before winning an Oscar for the really terrible "Tom Jones".

Another "Angry Young Man" from Tony Richardson. Pretty good, but I think I liked the angry young woman from "A Taste of Honey" better.

829

The short story focussed heavily on the psychology of running as a personal liberation from the lead character's isolation and condition, thus explaining the ending thoroughly, and I would've wanted this to be given more of an exposition here. The scene with the Jerusalem choir contrasting with the brutality of the borstal staff is a standout but the music in other parts is a bit of a cliche. Nevertheless, a fine enough watch and a working-class retort to Chariots of Fire.

Pretty decent but imo kind of unremarkable coming of age film with a rebellious message about a reform school in the '60s. Feels very much of its time. It's not bad at all, but nothing really stood out all that much to me.

Kind of a slightly less compelling 400 blows.

OK, so generally, using Chaplin-style speed-ups in a serious film isn't a good idea. Apart from that, though, it's very good; Courtenay is as convincing as he is in BIlly Liar, the structure is interesting, the ending packs a punch... Yeah, the British made a bunch of movies like this in the 60s, and this is no "If...", but what the hell.

#890

I loved it's simplicity, and it's reliance on the beauty and ugliness of boys.

its alright, kinda boring, the last act was pretty good

such boring.