The Outrun

If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, The Outrun is available in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Netflix right now. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Saoirse Ronan — one of the stronger performances out there right now. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Netflix.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, The Outrun is worth clearing space for. Character-driven storytelling at its most effective — The Outrun earns every emotional beat it goes for. Fresh out of rehab, Rona returns to the Orkney Islands—a place both wild and beautiful, right off the Scottish coast. Now 29 and after more than a decade of living life on the edge in London, where she both found and lost love, Rona attempts to come to terms with her troubled past. As she reconnects with the dramatic landscape where she grew up, memories of her traumatic childhood merge with more recent challenging events that have set her on the path to recovery. Saoirse Ronan and Paapa Essiedu lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2024. What elevates The Outrun is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Drama fans who appreciate slow-burn storytelling will feel right at home with The Outrun. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Saoirse Ronan anchors a cast that never overplays its hand. The kind of drama that stays with you well after the finale.