Teen Musical Tackles School Shooting Trauma

Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, the film 'Run Amok' (a title criticized for its disconnect with the subject matter) delves into the sensitive topic of high school shootings. The narrative follows Meg, a resilient student still mourning the loss of her mother and classmates from a shooting ten years prior. Meg's unconventional idea to create a musical dramatizing the event is met with mixed reactions, sparking conversation about confronting trauma.

An empathetic teacher, Mr. Shelby, supports Meg's endeavor as a therapeutic exercise for students navigating a persistent reality. While some students embrace the project with enthusiasm, Principal Linda vehemently opposes it, demanding a return to a more innocuous production. This conflict underscores the generational differences in processing grief and the film's central theme of youthful directness versus adult evasion.

Filmmaker NB Mager's debut feature is praised for its bold concept and its potential to ignite necessary discussions. The film attempts to blend dark comedy with the grim reality of school shootings, though it occasionally struggles with tonal consistency. Despite its flaws, 'Run Amok' ultimately revolves around Meg's passionate quest for closure, offering a poignant and pertinent look at healing.