The Runner (1999 film)
The Runner is a 1999 crime thriller film directed by Ron Moler, and starring Ron Eldard and Courteney Cox.[1]
| The Runner | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ron Moler |
| Written by | Anthony E. Zuiker |
| Story by | Dustin Lee Abraham |
| Produced by | Ron Moler Wayne Allan Rice |
| Starring | Ron Eldard Courteney Cox John Goodman Joe Mantegna Bokeem Woodbine |
| Cinematography | James Glennon |
| Edited by | Gene M. Gamache Paul Heiman |
| Music by | Anthony Marinelli |
Release date | August 1, 1999 |
Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The soundtrack contains songs performed by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Douglas September.
Plot edit
A young man with a gambling addiction has managed to get himself into serious debt by losing all his money. In an effort to pay off the bookies, his uncle pulls a few strings and gets him a job working for a gangster named Deepthroat, who needs a "runner" to place bets with various bookies. The gangster keeps his new "runner" on a short leash and, for the most part, the young gambler behaves himself. However, the temptation of walking around with large sums of cash proves too great, and the "runner" puts both his job and his survival on the line when he dips into his boss' funds to buy a ring for his girlfriend.
Cast edit
- Ron Eldard as Edward
- Courteney Cox as Karina
- John Goodman as Deepthroat
- Joe Mantegna as Rocco
- Bokeem Woodbine as 477
- Terrence Evans as Lefty
Production edit
The Runner was initially intended to be a large budget that would serve as Moler's directorial debut. While Zuiker was shopping the script around a production company offered to fund the film if Moler stepped down as director. This offer was refused and The Runner was filmed as an independent film.[2]
Release edit
The Runner was released direct to video in 1999.[2]
Reception edit
The film received reviews from The Boston Globe and Variety.[3][4]
References edit
- ^ Isaacs, Neil D. (2014-10-17). You Bet Your Life: The Burdens of Gambling. University Press of Kentucky. p. 251. ISBN 978-0-8131-5777-1.
- ^ a b Longworth, James L. Jr. (2002-05-01). TV Creators: Conversations with America's Top Producers of Television Drama, Volume Two. Syracuse University Press. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-8156-2953-5.
- ^ Carr, Jay (September 16, 1999). "Lurid Vegas shots a bit low on light". The Boston Globe (Newspapers.com).
- ^ Young, Deborah (1999-06-07). "The Runner". Variety. Retrieved 2022-05-31.