The running in this film - sweet merciful heavens, WHY is this film not included in RunningMovies.com? I realize it's not about an actual runner, but is instead about Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) wrongfully accused of murdering his wife. He gets a lucky break out of the prison van and is on the run for most of the movie. Tommy Lee Jones plays Samuel Gerard, the vengeful U.S. Marshal who is hell-bent on returning Kimble to prison.
It's a compact film - I'd look up at the clock and think "Only 20 minutes have passed?" - and it leaves you breathless. Kimble dodges and darts his way out of Gerard's clutches, and just shows he has the mind of a smart guy, but not necessarily that of a criminal (which he's not).
But again, back to the running. Kimble runs through a parade, through the sewers, through a hospital, a prison, and throughout Chicago. It's almost always in jeans and regular shoes, too. There's also a certain desperation to his running that you don't really see in a running-centered movie: Kimble wants to clear his name and avenge his wife's death, not win a race or improve his PR. And can you blame the guy? The flimsy evidence on which he's booked would drive anyone to want to make a break for it as soon as they could.
The movie uses a fair bit of Chicago that you don't typically see in films: its St. Patrick's Day parade, the county hospital, and other landmarks are noted. Kimble's home, located in Lincoln Park, perfectly illustrates the doctor's comfort prior to all hell breaking loose.
Would I see it again? Yes. It has running, and more importantly, Harrison Ford running. Also, Jones' one-liners were worth sitting through the movie.
Number of training montages: Haha, none.
Is this one of those "couch-potato-to-marathoner" stories? No.
Number of inspirational songs: Probably none that I can think of. Seriously, it would have been cheesy to hear "Running against the wind" as Kimble races through the woods.
What I give this movie: Four out of five running shoes.
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