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Tyson's Run
By Jennifer Green,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Feel-good family drama has discrimination, peril.
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Tyson's Run
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What's the Story?
In TYSON'S RUN, 15-year-old Tyson (Major Dodson), homeschooled and on the autism spectrum, decides to start attending high school when his mom (Amy Smart) can no longer understand the math she needs to teach him. At school, he makes friends but also grapples with some bullying and teasing from classmates. Meanwhile, his dad (Rory Cochrane) isn't thrilled about having his son on the campus where he coaches one of the state's most successful high school football teams. One day, Tyson encounters Aklilu (Barkhad Abdi), a former marathon runner, and he begins jogging alongside him. The pair strike up a friendship, and Tyson vows to train to run his town's first-ever marathon just weeks away. The training will challenge him as well as his parents' and the town's conceptions of what Tyson is capable of.
Is It Any Good?
This film has the look and feel of a TV movie, and Major Dodson's heartfelt portrayal of a teen with autism is nearly undermined by other, less subtle performances, themes, and concepts. But ultimately Tyson's Run has enough heart and an uplifting story "inspired by a real boy" to balance out and offer a film that may speak especially to those with friends or family members on the spectrum. Some fancy camerawork at the start of the movie (shot from inside a computer screen or football helmet) is mostly abandoned later and doesn't match the rest of the by-the-books filming.
The cast is a bit uneven here too, unfortunately. Abdi deserves more screen time, and his Aklilu comes across as both world weary and wisely optimistic. Smart and Cochrane overly dramatize their performances as Tyson's panicky mom and unhappy dad (Cochrane might not smile once this whole film). But Dodson, billed as "on the spectrum" himself, puts in an affecting performance that gives viewers a character and journey to root for. This, in turn, makes the film's climactic ending moving despite its improbability.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Tyson shows perseverance in Tyson's Run, and how that character strength serves him well.
What attributes do you notice that indicate Tyson is on the autism spectrum? Which traits would you say might make his life easier, and which harder? Do people treat him differently?
What did you make of Aklilu's experience in his last marathon?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: May 17, 2022
- Cast: Major Dodson , Amy Smart , Rory Cochrane
- Director: Kim Bass
- Inclusion Information: Black directors, Black writers
- Studio: Collide Distribution
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: High School
- Character Strengths: Courage , Perseverance
- Run time: 103 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: thematic elements and some language including offensive slurs
- Last updated: November 18, 2022
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