Tyson’s Run could best be described as Rain Man meets Chariots of Fire just have all of the wit and warmth of those movies completely surgically removed.
Here’s a movie that is well-intentioned but falls flat in scene after scene with material that is predictable and manipulative to a fault. Even it’s target audience will find themselves thinking enough is enough.
The movie stars Major Dodson as Tyson Hollerman, a 15-year-old with autism who’s been homeschooled all his life and is now ready to branch out and try going to public school.
Amy Smart is his loving, attentive mother whom he has a wonderful relationship with. Certainly that one is better than the one he has with his father (Rory Cochrane), a football coach at the high school Tyson wishes to attend.
Tyson eventually starts his new life at the high school, but it comes with a tremendous amount of bullying due to his affliction. He’s teased mercilessly and even called “Forrest Chump” at one point.
Tyson does find solace in one activity: Marathon running. He’s inspired to take it up after seeing an athletic shoe store owner (Barkhad Abdi) do a lot of running at the track where his dad coaches. The two take an immediate liking to one another and Tyson convinces him to train him how to be a runner.
One of the movie’s most ludicrous scenes involves Tyson taking off in the middle of the night during a rainstorm and the movie’s pacing is grinded to a halt. Why? The movie doesn’t offer a reason and when it does, it’s shameless in its payoff.
Tyson’s Run is one of those movies where if you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen the movie. At no point does it leave room for anything other than sheer predictability and a message that’s ham-fisted into the screenplay with a mallet.
On top of that, the performances are lackadaisical. There’s not a single moment where you can look at the actors and get the sense that they’re embracing the material. The dialogue is inane and wooden.
It would amaze me if anyone remembers this movie by the time they get to the parking lot. Instead of a story that inspires us to go for our dreams, the only thing it inspires is to quickly make our way toward the exit sign.
Grade: D-
(Rated PG for thematic elements and some language including offensive slurs.)
