1 Mile to You (2017) User Reviews

Visually Beautiful But Not Much More

[dansview · 6/10 · 15 July 2017]

What a gorgeous place! Who would have thought that Mississippi looks like that? Although I will assume it was supposed to be some place like Missouri. Only one person has an accent, and it clearly appears more Midwestern.

The scenes of a yellow school bus entering a track area were interesting and unique. Even the slow motion images of the kid running were well done.

But like the other reviewers mentioned, we've seen this basic scenario so many times. Teen loses friends and withdraws. No one understands him, and it's him against the world, like some angst- ridden character in Beverly Hills 90201.

Why put actor Tim Roth in there for five minutes? That was so bizarre. He doesn't hide his accent either. Billy Crudup has interesting mannerisms, but he gets the weirdest roles. I didn't really get this one, but I guess he was just a quirky guy who sees the humor in life. I found his character appealing to watch.

Peter Coyote and the Lynskey woman were terribly miscast. By the way, in any rural community, there will be church and spiritual advisers to a kid like this. The kid himself would have some kind of church background to fall back on. But we don't even get an obligatory sermon after the accident.

I suppose I understand why the rich girl liked him. She was a journalist and part time runner, so she wanted to get inside his head. But he didn't seem very interested in her. So why would she be so obsessed with him? He wasn't charming, and even his angst was pretty cliché.

I guess they felt compelled to throw in the sore loser jock from another school, and the black jock friend. Yet we learn very little about him. In our protagonist's former life he had a best friend and a girl. Why not let him nurture a best friend relationship again, while getting to know the new girl?

Basically I don't get the main plot. What was it that people wanted from this kid? He won his races and did well in his courses. What was the big conflict? I felt like they were trying to fake some kind of core conflict that didn't even exist. OK. He needed better sneakers and to take the occasional recovery day off from running. That's about it.

Nevertheless, the depiction of puppy love, the location photography, the school bus imagery, and the likable coach made it watchable.

Very hollow

[Beauq81 · 5/10 · 24 April 2017]

Visually very nice and a really great premise, but that's it. The storytelling leaves huge gaps and, at times, you are left wondering: "When did that happen?".

It starts off very nicely and shows the closeness between Kevin and his best friend, his girlfriend and her father, the coach. Then disaster strikes in more ways than one.

Kevin goes back to school and, although it seems relevant to the story, we're never given the amount of time he was out or the reason he goes to a different school.

Meets a girl, or, as it is portrayed, a new girl forces herself on him. Although they tried to show Hannah as a nice girl who falls for the troubled guy and tries to help him, she comes off as a needy groupie chasing her idol, yelling: "We belong together, we belong together!"

His need for running is explained well enough, but everything else around it is inconsistent. The way he doesn't care about competing, yet the first thing he does after starting new school is join the team; hates it, but fights to stay on it; allows himself to get exploited by the grubby father-daughter team of Coyote and Lynskey.

The character of Jol, the new best friend is thrown in from time to time without any explanation. he just pops up and tells some of the things going on in his life and disappears.

All in all, not unwatchable, but you'll find yourself trying to fill the gaps and finding sense in what you saw.

Oh, and there is such thing as too much indie folk music. While it suited some of the scenes, the movie depended too much on it as a mood setter.

Bang average

[Jimsonite · 5/10 · 11 June 2019]

Boring and cheesy, but it's watchable I suppose.....

Quite good

[Gordon-11 · 8 May 2017]

This film tells the story of a high school athlete, who is especially talented and fit in running. His life is changed when his classmates and girlfriend dies in a traffic accident involving the school bus they are on.

"1 Mile to You" tells a story of personal growth through pain and hardship. Kevin is the star athlete but he seems to be throwing his talents away. Through the support of the new school, his mother and his new love interest, he stands up again and has a new goal to aim for. The ending is rather unexpected, but this twist quickly changes by another event that makes the film much happier. It is a quite a good film.

Not a bad watch for a low budget film

[mnsmb7 · 7/10 · 30 March 2018]

Full disclosure, I had no expectations when watching this film and had a sick day from work and decided why not? Will I remember this movie a month from now? Probably not but it was entertaining enough. I think the plot has been done a couple too many times where an athlete falls on hard times and then needs help finding his way. This is a spoiler but I didn't like that he was one minute madly "move to Montana" in love with Ellie and then after he transfers schools within a matter of months he is making out with another girl. I felt like that romance was really forced. I like the filming sequences where he is running and Billy Crudup is great. I wouldn't watch it again but I would throw it in the Christian movie genre of Hallmark films where if you ever need kind of a pick-me-up movie this would do. No one particularly stands out and it falls flat many times. There was just a slight piece missing from making this a really good movie.

Why not me?

[ReelProjectionist · 7/10 · 27 November 2022]

The grieving process has a number of stages, it doesn't really matter how you lost a loved one; each individual deals with it differently. Whether it was a bus accident, fatal injury, war or terminal illness, each person deals with death of loved ones in a unique way. The main character is a gifted runner, who channels his pain and anguish into his activity of choice. It was a relief that the director chose to skip the typical get drunk scene in this movie, and the main character hitting bottom. Instead the healing process was channeled into nearly unhealthy obsession of running away from feeling the pain of loss, and some self destructive tendencies. However, the main character managed to steer away from self destruction in the end, and realize that living his best life would better honor those he lost.

Okay

[geohv-67796 · 7/10 · 14 February 2020]

It's been decades since I finished High School but I didn't then and still cannot understand what the appeal of the jock is. Girls throw themselves at them but any girl that throws herself at someone doesn't get their respect. The best things in life are the hardest to earn.

Superficial and Formulaic

[vicstevinson · 2/10 · 7 April 2017]

Actor Graham Rogers is a 26-y/o high school student whose tragic loss of friends and track teammates sets the stage for this "running as emotional release" teen tearjerker.

The film may work for teens, but anyone older will notice that Graham's catharsis is superficial. Be it the grief-by-numbers script, Hallmark/Lifetime-level direction, or Graham's acting limitations, this tale if personal turmoil keeps its emotions on the surface like an oil slick.

In just a couple of scenes, veteran actor Tim Roth infuses more interest than Rogers manages for the rest of the film.

Billy Crudup deserves better dialogue as well as character development. Th0ough he isn't an "It Boy" anymore, Crudup's acting chops were proved in the recent gem 20th CENTURY WOMEN.

For a far superior conceptualization of this type of tragedy, see THE SWEET HEREAFTER. The recent French film "1:54" portrays a troubled runner with much more depth and interest, despite that film's fail at the finish line.

A really good film overall

[me-589-145643 · 8/10 · 19 July 2017]

This is a really good film. Strong narrative, decent acting performances, likable and relatable characters, and decent production quality. 1 Mile to You joins a large number of films that combine a teen romance theme with a heartbreaking story, and this movie is one of the better examples despite its generally simpler narrative. If you're looking for something light and heartwarming, this film is an ideal choice for you.

A really touching and dramatic movie

[rjacome24 · 7/10 · 25 October 2022]

It's a bit slow but It's a very interesting movie with a good plot, amazing acting, good drama, and a great finish. If you're into nothing but action movies that have repetitive plot lines, then this movie isn't for you. Overall I found the story of a track runner who is motivated to run faster and faster a great plot and very inspirational. The movie reminds us to appreciate the things that we still have in life. And it's hard to find a well put together movie with an interesting plot line and amazing acting these days but this movie is one of the few interesting movies that doesn't focus on nothing more than politics and woke.

tough to watch if you know 1 single thing about running OR the book

[kevinbarnes-70054 · 5/10 · 24 April 2017]

While the acting, score and filming are all polished and solid, this is a difficult movie to watch if you have read Jeremy Jackson's excellent novel and/or know anything about running.

The movie tries hard to capture the spirit and inner turmoil of Kevin. However the running scenes are laughable and most of the original story-line/characters of the novel are either altered or left out completely.

Those who haven't read the book or see running as merely recreational will probably find enough positives to embrace the film. If you're in love with the book, take a pass on this rendition.

delicate and profound

[tatiana-roza · 10/10 · 9 April 2017]

What a great movie! brought me to tears. Kevin's painful journey is one that anyone can relate to. Its about overcoming the death of your beloved ones and keep rowing the boat. or running with your heart...:-) Billy Crudup's performance is outstanding. Its a tender movie that will also make you laugh. Highly recommend!

I'm gonna be honest here!!

[kalebjeremyryder · 3/10 · 14 March 2019]

I only watched the beginning, just to see the bus accident😂

1 Mile to You review

[JoeytheBrit · 5/10 · 5 May 2020]

While it's refreshing to come across an athletics movie that doesn't trot out the tired old cliché of an underdog overcoming great odds to triumph, Leif Tilden's tale of running as a form of catharsis is so overladen with moody teen angst that it's difficult to take to its anguished hero. At least Billy Crudup is on hand to breathe life into his scenes, and Tim Roth's participation is minimal.

Authentic and beautiful

[treebranch · 10/10 · 9 April 2017]

'1 Mile to you' tells the story of a young man who loses his friends in a bus accident and his journey to recovery after the event. Graham Rogers, Billy Crudup and the entire cast are outstanding and give wonderfully compelling and honest performances. So moving and brought me and the entire family to tears. The cinematography is outstanding (Gary Shaw who shot 'Moon' by Duncan Jones). Music by Paul Doucette (Member of the the band 'Matchbox 20') is amazing. Loved the music. This is not a film for the jaded or if your looking for something dark and ironic (Ie; the LATImes review calling it cluttered WHICH IT IS NOT).

'Run' to the theater!

excellent

[vriddheeg · 8/10 · 8 April 2017]

The background score is soothing and amazing.The music team has done a great job. The soundtrack of this movie is really cool, all the songs lovely to hear.1 mile to you's script has been written very well, you enjoy the movie throughout. the scenes are well shot, all the actors have done a great job. The concept is unique and interesting, the movie is executed really well.The climax, the ending, all of it is great. This movie has been adapted from a novel.

pretty good

[treykrumel · 9/10 · 5 August 2018]

Haven't seened all of it but it had a moral of story and characters too bad it doesn't have a sequel. that's all i can say for right now very short but light and positive. 9/10

Fam movie tells a story relevant to at least age 10 +.

[jeanniedale-21289 · 9/10 · 23 April 2022]

Fam movie earns a PG if not G rating. The neg. Reviews were probably based on adults only watching looking for a little more R rated entertainment.

Just in my experience watching my husband and I who are seniors found the movie entertaining and followed life as it is without being fake. Living thru generations we have has exposed us to sad accidents, athletes who work hard and don't always end up winning a spot on state level competition and teen angst.

Most accurate portrayal of distance running in cinema

[bcronrath-705-538546 · 10/10 · 5 May 2023]

Most will probably not appreciate how accurately portrayed so many aspects of high level high school distance running are on display in this film. The workouts (10x400 at pace, etc.) the cross countrh course scenery, the eccentric "running hippy" coach, the 100 mile weeks, and other finer details such as cross country lining up with football season and track coming later. This is a must see for runners!

But the crazy thing is even with all of that attention to detail, at its heart this isn't really some sports movie primarily, really it's a beautifully written wonderfully acted drama that explores a teenagers exploration of the emptiness inside himself after losing a ton if people he loved and not being able to say goodbye. Highly recommend this, the 6 rating is criminally low, this is easily an 8 or above even if you know nothing about running, but for me it's a ten.