You Can't Run Forever

Last updated
You Can't Run Forever
You Can't Run Forever Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMichelle Schumacher
Written byCarolyn Carpenter
Michelle Schumacher
Produced byRandle Schumacher
Starring
CinematographyPietro Villani
Edited byEvan Ahlgren
Music byJoe Simmons
Production
companies
Distributed by Lionsgate
Release date
  • May 17, 2024 (2024-05-17)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

You Can't Run Forever (formerly titled The Woods) [1] is a 2024 American thriller film written by Carolyn Carpenter and Michelle Schumacher, directed by Schumacher and starring J. K. Simmons. [2]

Contents

The film was released in the United States on May 17, 2024. [3]

Plot Summary

A teenage girl suffering from anxiety due to a tragic event from her past finds herself hunted through the woods by a sociopath on a murderous rampage. The film starts with a man on a motor cycle riding through deserted highways when he stops at a gas station. There is a woman filling her car up, a parked car, a man with his dog and a couple of sitting on deck chairs. After filling up fuel the man with the motor cycle walks up to the man with the dog and shoots him in the head. He then shoots the people sitting in deck chairs “why are you doing this? “Does it matter?” He walks back to his motor cycle, sees a woman quivering by her car and a man comes out the gas station he smiles and rides off into the sun.

The film is constantly changing between 3 viewpoints: the man on the motor cycle killing people, the victims family at home and the police.

Ed and Jenny Cooper are expecting a baby. They live with Miranda, daughter from Jenny’s previous relationship and Ed also has Emily from a previous relationship. Miranda suffers from anxiety and panic attacks and is on medication which she carries in a fanny pack on her. Mum encourages Ed to take Miranda to pick up a bassinet he’s going to get, to get her out of the house. On the journey Miranda asks Ed to stop at a gas station so she can use the toilet. Ed decides to use it too and the man on the motorcycle enters the toilet and uses the urinal right next to Ed. Sensing something is off Ed gets out of there quickly.

Emily arrives at the house and is keeping Jenny company.

Back on their journey Ed and Miranda are having a heart to heart about Jenny. Miranda starts crying so Ed stops the car to comfort her. The man on the motor cycle pulls up next to them and shows them a gun. Ed drives off and they are being chased by him when he fires shots. Ed crashes the car as he’s been shot in the chest. He tells Miranda to get out the car and run, which she does. The man on the motor cycle approaches the car and kills Ed. He then gets into the car and eats the snacks and drinks while talking to a dead Ed. He finds Ed’s phone in the car and uses his thumb to unlock it. There he has access to Ed’s contacts, messages, photos and locations services.

Back at home Jenny senses when Ed dies and drops a glass vase. Blaming it on hormones her and Emily bake cakes and talk about sentimental stuff. She gets a message from Ed and is smiling away unaware that it is actually Ed’s murderer messaging her.

The police have now turned up at the first gas station where the man on the motor cycle killed 3 people. The woman who he let live gives a description of him to them.

The man on the motor cycle has now entered the woods to pursue Miranda. He creeps up behind her, she throws dust in his eyes and runs and so begins the chase.

She phones the police but after losing reception manages to leave a voicemail on her mums phone to tell her what has happened. She finds a stream and is cleaning her wounds when she hears a gunshot. She tries to move as quietly as she can but he hears her and starts chasing her. He bumps into 2 hunters who he shoots dead. Miranda is having a panic attack and takes her medication. She hears the man calling her name and hides behind a tree. She calls the police again and is able to tell them she’s in the woods and there is a killer after her.

The police find Ed in his car and pick up bullet shells from the ground. They know his phone is missing and his thumb has been cut off. They find Miranda’s lunchbox.

Back in the woods Miranda is running and bumps into a boy who is camping with his parents. She tells them she needs help and the dad calls the police. He is shot dead mid conversation, then the mum, then the boy. Miranda runs away. The killer then sits with the dead bodies while eating their food and going through their belongings.

Jenny finally hears the voicemail and alerts Emily and the authorities. Emily offers to go with police to help find Miranda. After a lot of crying she calls Ed’s number and the killer answers. He is talking to Jenny on speaker.


It is now dark in the woods and as Miranda is using her phone she realises someone is tracking her location. She turns her phone off and follows her mums voice. She can see the killer but he can’t see her. He is enraged when he finds out he can’t track her. Jenny makes a run for it after grabbing a rucksack. She calls her mum and they cry together.

As she is walking she bumps into the boy, Todd she met before. He survived the gunshot! He is injured and encourages her to keep moving.

Jenny finds videos of the killer online. He seems to be some sort of motivational speaker.

Miranda and Todd find a quiet hidden place to sit and make it through the night. They get to know each other and build a bond. She shares her medication with him and tells him she has loads as she hasn’t taken her medicine in weeks. She admits she found her real dads body after he committed suicide and that’s the reason for her mental illness. They fall asleep crying and holding each other.

The police and some volunteers are in the woods with the flash lights looking for Miranda. They find her badge on the floor and discover the bodies of the boys parents.

Back in time it shows the killer getting angry at work, coming home discovering his wife is cheating and kills them and then takes his motorcycle.

Back in the woods Miranda wakes up to find Todd is dead. After going through the rucksack she finds a pocket knife and some magic mushrooms. She climbs to the top of a tree and spots a house/building not too far away. She then spots the killer. The building ends up being where the police and volunteers have gathered and she makes a run towards a them and is saved.

Seeing this the killer changes tactics and instead makes his way to Ed and Jenny’s house. He has Jenny hostage and calls Emily telling her Jenny is in labour at the hospital and if she could make her way asap stopping by the house to grab the baby bag.

Emily and Jenny come home to find the killer and Jenny sitting at the table. After an exchange of words and a little fight Jenny grabs the gun and shoots the killer.

The movie ends with Jenny having the baby with the support of Miranda and Emily.

Cast

Production

In September 2021, it was announced that Simmons, Leech, Urrejola, and Anaya had been cast in the film. [4] It was also reported that same month that filming had occurred in Missoula, Montana. [5]

In January 2023, filming wrapped. [6]

Simmons confirmed in an interview with MovieWeb that the making of the film was a family collaboration since his wife co-wrote and directed the film, his brother-in-law produced it, his son composed the score of the film and his daughter makes an appearance in the film. [7]

Release

You Can't Run Forever was released in the United States on May 17, 2024. [8]

Reception

The film holds a 29% approval rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 critics' reviews, with an average rating of 4.2/10. [9] Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com awarded the film one and a half stars. [10] Will Sayre of MovieWeb rated the film a 3 out of 5. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. K. Simmons</span> American actor (born 1955)

Jonathan Kimble Simmons is an American actor. His career spans over five decades of screen and stage. Simmons is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award and a Golden Globe Award for his supporting role in Damien Chazelle's independent film Whiplash (2014).

<i>Shattered</i> (1991 film) 1991 film by Wolfgang Petersen

Shattered is a 1991 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, based on the novel by Richard Neely. The film stars Tom Berenger, Greta Scacchi, Bob Hoskins, Joanne Whalley and Corbin Bernsen.

<i>Final Examination</i> (film) 2003 American film

Final Examination is a 2003 American erotic horror thriller film which was directed by Fred Olen Ray and stars Kari Wührer, Brent Huff and Debbie Rochon.

<i>The Sadist</i> (film) 1963 American exploitation film by James Landis

The Sadist is a 1963 American thriller film written and directed by James Landis. It stars Arch Hall, Jr. as a psychopathic spree killer, patterned after Charles Starkweather, who takes a trio of hostages at a junkyard. The low-budget, independent film is notable for being the debut of future Academy Award-winning cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond. It was distributed by Fairway International Pictures in the United States.

<i>King of California</i> 2008 film by Ron Shelton

King of California is a 2008 American comedy-drama film written by Mike Cahil and directed by Ron Shelton, in his debut as a screenwriter and director. It premiered on VHS January 28, 2008 at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and opened in limited release in North America on September 14, 2008. It stars Michael Douglas as a mentally ill man who thinks he has discovered buried treasure, and Evan Rachel Wood as his weary daughter.

<i>Moordwijven</i> 2007 Dutch film

Moordwijven is a 2007 Dutch black comedy about millionaire wives who get revenge on their cheating husbands by having them killed. The film is directed by Dick Maas. It was awarded a Golden Film, having sold more than 100'000 tickets in the first nine days of screening.

<i>Ghosts of Girlfriends Past</i> 2009 film by Mark Waters

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Mark Waters. The script was written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, based on Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol. Filming spanned February 19, 2008 to July 2008 in Rhode Island with stars Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Lacey Chabert, Emma Stone, and Michael Douglas. The film was released on May 1, 2009.

<i>Black Belly of the Tarantula</i> 1971 film by Paolo Cavara

Black Belly of the Tarantula is a 1971 giallo film directed by Paolo Cavara and starring Giancarlo Giannini, Barbara Bouchet, and Barbara Bach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Penny Bell</span> 1991 murder in London, England

Ruth Penelope "Penny" Bell was an English businesswoman who was murdered on 6 June 1991 in the car park of Gurnell Leisure Centre, Greenford, London. She was stabbed over fifty times as she sat behind the wheel of her car. Her murder remains unsolved.

<i>Waiting for Forever</i> 2010 American film

Waiting for Forever is a 2010 American romance film directed by James Keach and starring Rachel Bilson and Tom Sturridge. The film had a limited theatrical release beginning February 4, 2011.

Crocodile (<i>Dexter</i>) 2nd episode of the 1st season of Dexter

"Crocodile" is the 2nd episode of season 1 of Showtime TV series Dexter. The episode centers on the death of a police officer, Ricky Simmons, and the Miami Metro Police Department's attempt at bringing in the killer. In the meantime, Dexter stalks his next victim, Matt Chambers, a man who kills people by running them over while drunk.

<i>Killer Bean Forever</i> 2008 American animated film by Jeff Lew

Killer Bean Forever is a 2008 American animated action film written, produced, and directed by Jeff Lew, starring Vegas E. Trip, Bryan Session, David Guilmette, Matthew Tyler and Jeff Lew. It is part of a larger Killer Bean media franchise and was preceded by two web shorts: Killer Bean: The Interrogation in 1996, and Killer Bean 2: The Party in 2000. Taking place in a world of anthropomorphic coffee beans, the film's plot follows a bean assassin named Jack "Killer" Bean, who is sent to hunt down a crime boss, while he himself is hunted by mercenaries and the police.

<i>Blind</i> (2011 film) 2011 South Korean film

Blind is a 2011 South Korean crime thriller film directed by Ahn Sang-hoon with screenplay by Choi Min-seok which won the "Hit By Pitch" project fair held by the Korean Movie Producers Guild in 2009. It stars Kim Ha-neul and Yoo Seung-ho. Kim received Best Actress honors at the 48th Grand Bell Awards and the 32nd Blue Dragon Film Awards for her performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emily Fields</span> Fictional character

Emily Catherine Fields is a fictional character created in 2006 by author Sara Shepard. She is a character in both Pretty Little Liars' books and television series, and initially appears as a "jock girl" and one of the main protagonists of the story. She is part of the group known as the Liars; and is best friends with the four other members, who are also protagonists. Emily is known for her description and shyness, as well as for being part of a conservative family, the Fields.

<i>Il coltello di ghiaccio</i> 1972 film

Il coltello di ghiaccio is a 1972 giallo film directed by Umberto Lenzi and starring Carroll Baker, Evelyn Stewart, and George Rigaud. Both Baker and Stewart featured in several other films helmed by Lenzi. The film follows a mute woman who finds herself in danger when a serial killer begins stalking the Spanish countryside. The title takes its name from a quote attributed to Edgar Allan Poe, in which he refers to fear as a "knife of ice which penetrates the senses down to the depth of conscience"; the quote, however, was a fabrication by the filmmakers.

"Grave New World" is the 13th episode of the fourth season of the American mystery drama television series Pretty Little Liars. It originally aired on October 22, 2013 on ABC Family and serves as the season's Halloween episode, which aired as part of the 13 Nights of Halloween programming block. The episode was directed by Ron Lagomarsino and written by Joseph Dougherty, Oliver Goldstick and I. Marlene King. The episode also serves as a backdoor pilot to the series’ spinoff Ravenswood, which follows a group of people investigating the supernatural occurrences in the titular town. As a result, the episode features the spinoff's main cast as guest characters and some supernatural elements.

<i>The Meddler</i> 2015 American film directed by Lorene Scafaria

The Meddler is a 2015 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Lorene Scafaria. The film stars Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne and J. K. Simmons. Principal photography began on March 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. It was screened in the Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. The film was released on April 22, 2016, by Sony Pictures Classics and Stage 6 Films.

<i>Boo 2! A Madea Halloween</i> 2017 film by Tyler Perry

Boo 2! A Madea Halloween is a 2017 American comedy horror film written, produced, directed by and starring Tyler Perry and also starring Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely, Yousef Erakat, Diamond White, Lexy Panterra, Andre Hall, Brock O'Hurn, and Tito Ortiz. It is the tenth film in the Madea cinematic universe, the sequel to Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016), and the third Madea film not adapted from a stage play as it tells the story of Madea going to retrieve a now 18-year-old Tiffany from a lake that is said to be stalked by a serial killer. The film was released by Lionsgate on October 20, 2017, and grossed $48 million.

<i>What Keeps You Alive</i> 2018 Canadian thriller film

What Keeps You Alive is a 2018 Canadian psychological horror film written and directed by Colin Minihan. It stars Hannah Emily Anderson and Brittany Allen and follows a young woman fighting for her life as her wife's murderous intentions become evident.

References

  1. Grobar, Matt (August 18, 2022). "'You Can't Run Forever' First Look: J.K. Simmons Stars In Thriller From Director Michelle Schumacher". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  2. Wiseman, Andreas (April 28, 2023). "J.K. Simmons Thriller 'You Can't Run Forever' Gets UK Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  3. Kelley, Aidan (11 May 2024). "J.K. Simmons Is Starring as Yet Another Bad Teacher — Here's What You Need to Know". Collider. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  4. Kroll, Justin (2021-09-27). "J.K. Simmons, Allen Leech And Fernanda Urrejola To Star In 'The Woods'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 2023-10-04. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  5. NBC Montana Staff (2021-09-20). "Movie starring J.K. Simmons shooting in Missoula". NBC Montana. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  6. Kay, Jeremy (2023-01-26). "Voltage Pictures to launch EFM Sales on J.K. Simmons thriller 'You Can't Run Forever' (exclusive)". Screen International. Archived from the original on 2023-01-26. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  7. Sayre, Will (17 May 2024). "J.K. Simmons on Going 'Psychopathic' for You Can't Run Forever and the Future of Superhero Films". MovieWeb. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  8. Danoff, Owen (April 15, 2024). "J.K. Simmons Is A Serial Killer In You Can't Run Forever Trailer & Poster". ScreenRant . Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  9. "You Can't Run Forever". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on May 24, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  10. Tallerico, Brian (May 17, 2024). "You Can't Run Forever". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  11. Sayre, Will (18 May 2024). "You Can't Run Forever Review: J.K. Simmons Terrifies in Bare-Bones Survival Tale". MovieWeb. Retrieved May 18, 2024.