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Run Amok Premieres at Sundance to Acclaim for Its Young Star and Scrutiny of Its Tone

NB Mager’s feature debut expands a 2023 short into a provocation that channels grief through a student-led musical.

Overview

  • The film debuted in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival, with CAA handling sales for the indie title.
  • The story follows Meg, a teen who creates a student musical reenacting a decade-old school shooting that claimed her mother, seeking communal catharsis.
  • Early reviews widely praise Alyssa Marvin’s lead performance, while several critics cite an uneven blend of dark comedy and earnest drama.
  • Patrick Wilson, who acts in and produces the film, addressed the post-screening Q&A with an emotional call to confront gun violence, saying "we are not doing enough."
  • Critics frame the movie as an ambitious conversation-starter typical of Sundance fare, noting its compassionate curiosity about trauma and how communities process it.