User Reviews

"Running Home" is a predictable, melodramatic flick full of implausibilities with all the ear marks of a low budget soap. However, there's enough stuff going on from romance to murder to bad cops to fights to chases to the quest of the street kid and central character (Ayre) to meet the birth mother he's never known to make it an enjoyable watch for those who can overlook the host of contrivances it presents. Also, Ayre is just off-center enough to support the multitude of clichés around him. In short, an enjoyable watch for the whole family in spite of many short-comings.

I watched this on cable and was pleasantly surprised by it. It tells the story of a young street-wise kid who finally gets off the street and goes to look for his mom, who he suspects is still living and might want to reunite with her son. On top of that, he witnessed a murder committed by a police officer, and that added an extra impetus. It was a surprise when he finally shaved, cut his hair and changed his clothes - the transformation is amazing. When he finally meets his mom, he uses his money to commission a self-portrait by her without revealing his identity, while he befriends a girl who knows about his staying overnight in a department store because he doesn't have money for rent. The things he does to prevent detection is ingenious, and the events that follow to the reuniting of the family and the capture of the corrupt officials is fun and captivating most of the time. Even though I've never heard of him before this, Kristian Ayre is a fine actor and shows this in this movie.

This was a surprisingly good movie!

It has drama. It has a plot. It is intriguing in its development into something more!

It tells the story of a street-wise kid who has a precision touch for the world that surrounds him!!!

... He cares about the downtrodden & oppressed!!!

... He notices details others do not care to consider! ... He is rightly suspicious of 'authorities' of presumed 'wisdom' in JUDGEMENTAL perspectives that they surround themselves with!!! ... Into likeminded submission without substance to allegations unfounded!!!

... Meanwhile, he investigates & discovers his own potential for greater solutions!!!

... While disturbed & warning against the agenda he senses is building up behind him!!!

... As others too, accumulate for various agendas!!! ... Helpful & otherwise!!!

"Running Home" has other attributes working for it!!!

... An empathetic artist whose paintings express her secret pain!!!

... A street-kid daring to be himself!!! ... With MUCH creativity revealed!!!

... But with echoes to his earlier dimensions he does not shrink from!!! … Or apologise for!!!

Meanwhile, truer bonds of MUCH substance gradually emerge!!!

All in all, it gives an insight into street kids!!! … Not to forget earlier dimensions of such dilemmas!!! … TOO often forgotten!!!

… Also lost bonds of family & MUCH goodwill!!! … That bureaucracies of police or church & state!!! … Can effectively diminish into nothingness!!! … Or DARE to care about!!! … At their personal whim!!!

… But rarely realised, it seems!!!

In the meanwhile, this movie is a good mix!!!

It does not stifle the free-spirited soul in this young guy who dares to be creative!!! … Amidst a closed store rich with symbolism!!! … As he sets birds free from their cages!!!

It's not phony … just creatively thoughtful in its unique perspectives!!!

It hints at something worth contemplating in broader journeys of life … that somehow, whether near or far, loved ones tend to be close at hand, and so often intuitively attuned to what we care about & are growing into!!!

"Running Home" conveys such concepts well.

I thought this was a wonderful movie and would love to buy a copy of it. It was a sweet movie and loved the way that the young man found his mom. Please let me know how I can buy a copy of this movie. At first I was not sure if I was going to like it but it kept me spellbound and couldn't stop watching it.

This was a wonderful family movie and I wish that there were more movies like it made. This young man was superb in his role as well as the woman who played his mom.

It took me a while to realize that the lady in the art shop was actually his birth mom. What was really special was that his mom that been looking for him and how her life had never been complete since she gave him up for adoption. Kathy

I have been waiting to see this movie for over two years, since I heard about it in July of 1998. When I finally got a copied tape of it from a friend, it was certainly worth it. It was two years of torture, but again, it was worth the wait. I know it hasn't come to the States (and might never will), but I was lucky to see this and I can watch it over and over again.

I post this comment because I am a HUGE fan of Kristian Ayre, who plays the main character, Matt "Spider" Strilecki. He is absolutely fantastic in this role, and of course, I can't imagine someone besides him playing Matt. Most people know Kristian as Radu on "Space Cases", which also showed excellent and might I add magnificant acting skills from him. Radu is just a tip of an iceberg, while Matt Strilecki really showed me everything. The rest of the cast is good too, such as Claudia Christian, Caroline Dhavernas, and Andreas Angbreias, and Alex MacArthur. But this (as well as "Space Cases", mind you!) is one of Kristian Ayre's best works. I applaud his performance, and I'd also give it a standing ovation. I've seen this over 10 times, and I'm not sick of it yet. He is simply divine.

Even though it was Canadian, I'm American, and I love it. It really could be worth waiting two years for. It's so amazing.

Well what a little unexpected gem that turned out to be! Quite a few plot holes, but they can be ignored for the overall feel good story.

My husband and I watched this movie on cable tv a long time ago, and found it very memorable and touching. For many years we tried to remember the movie's name so we could watch it again, but without luck. (I guess because it was a small Canadian production it's not well known.) Recently we were able to find the name of the movie through Reddit, and so were able to finally watch it again about 20 years after the first time.

We enjoyed it just as much this time, or more. It's a quality family film with action, suspense, great acting (especially by the two main actors), and some very moving and emotional scenes. I definitely cried at the end. A real unknown gem.