Blind drunk at closing time, Rona — a bright, late-20s graduate student majoring in biology — has again pushed her luck and, literally kicking and screaming, provoked the bartender into tossing her out of a London pub onto the sidewalk. Her purse’s contents scatter and roll. She has been here before, or thereabouts.

“The Outrun” tells her addiction and recovery story with clear-eyed and nicely unpredictable swerves. Saoirse Ronan does subtly spectacular work in every phase of this character’s odyssey. Rona is based on Amy Liptrot, whose memoir has been lightly fictionalized but not falsified in the script co-written by Liptrot and director Nora Fingscheidt. It’s a consistently absorbing movie, visually vibrant nearly to the point of self-consciousness, its blues and greens and hot neon dance-party memories colliding and coalescing throughout.

The narrative intersperses Rona’s heady London years with later parts of her life on the starkly beautiful Orkney Islands off Scotland’s northeastern coast. Watching “The Outrun,” its title referring to outlying farmland pasture, I found myself asking the Saoirse Ronan question that has come up many times and many films previously. What’s the secret to her easy gravity, the calm and storm and back again so effortlessly managed? That precise emotional stillness suddenly giving way to pure, kinetic expressivity?

Maybe there is no secret. Maybe Ronan, piercing blue eyes aside, simply is one of those actors who learned on camera, a lot, as a preteen and then became an adult and a famously reliable and compelling performer in the bargain. British roles, American parts, comedies, dramas, contemporary work, period pictures, all of it. Ronan’s camera presence has a studious air to it, sometimes. At her best, though, it’s careful listening and watching. In “The Outrun” she’s giving one of her truest, cleanest portrayals, which is an interesting paradox, since Rona is both a mess and, later, a conduit for reflection, her own and the audience’s.

After a violent, half-remembered assault following the film’s opening pub sequence, Rona returns to the Orkney Islands where she grew up. Recovery will not be easy, she realizes. Her alcoholism has informed her early adult years, indelibly. At one point, later than we want to hear it, she says with terse clarity, like a death sentence: “I can’t be happy sober.” The film doesn’t end there, but “The Outrun” makes nothing easy, or pat.

Rona’s sheep-farmer father (Stephen Dillane, excellent) lives in a mobile home at cliff’s edge; his mental health challenges have led him, reluctantly, in and out of institutions. Separated, Rona’s mother (Saskia Reeves, exceptional at subtle indications of how the past feeds the present) has turned to God for solace and purpose. Rona finds herself at odds with both parents. She’s itching to return to London, and all too plainly itching to drink again.

Counting her days of sobriety, she finds a makeshift Orkney community among the nonprofit Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, aka the RSPB. She’s assigned to study the prospects and conditions for a locally rare species, the corncrake, and canvases the local residents for their assistance. “The Outrun,” blessedly, treats the wildlife preservation activities the way director Fingscheidt treats everything else in Rona’s uncertain life: vividly but matter-of-factly, without a lot of fuss. Rona gradually rediscovers the things she loved about the islands as a girl, while discovering new ones. Part of the movie takes her to another, smaller Orkney Island, Papa Westray, where she relishes the isolation, the crazy gales and the joys of a swim in incredibly cold water.

The flashback interweaves of “The Outrun” recall Cheryl Strayed’s memoir “Wild,” the film version of which starred Reese Witherspoon. “The Outrun” has the edge, I think, in its editing acumen; in an eyeblink, we’re thrown back into Rona’s earlier life, and self, in London, with a boyfriend (Paapa Essiedu) increasingly overmatched by Rona’s addiction. In her character’s jagged-edge extremes, Ronan’s performance bears down, fiercely, without extraneous flourishes — in a heartbreaking leap, or stumble, her Rona trades raging belligerence (“You’re trying to tame me! You’re trying to control me!” for worlds of hurt found in a single line (“Whatever I did, I’ll never do it again, I promise”).

It’s not always easy to witness. But recovery stories that go easier are usually the ones lying about what’s happening, and how someone got there.

‘The Outrun’

3 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: R (for language and brief sexuality)

Running time: 1:58

How to watch: In theaters Oct. 4

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“We envision our students graduating with work experience that prepares them to get paid internships, prior learning credits, and to launch careers at JFK Airport.”

CityViews are readers’ opinions, not those of City Limits. Add your voice today!

As representatives of Southeast Queens, we witness firsthand the tremendous potential of our young people. Yet, far too often, opportunity remains out of reach, particularly in exciting, high-growth industries like aviation. JFK Airport, a cornerstone of our borough, is poised for significant expansion, creating a wealth of well-paying careers. But how do we ensure Southeast Queens students have the tools and guidance to take flight in this dynamic field?

The answer lies in a visionary project that we are happy to champion. We propose the creation of a Queens STEAM Center at JFK Airport, modeled after the successful Brooklyn Navy Yard STEAM Center. This Center wouldn’t be just another educational facility; it would be a launchpad for the futures of countless Southeast Queens students.

Envision a program where high school students from different schools across our community immersed themselves in the aviation and technology industries for a year. Unlike in traditional classrooms, students would learn in a school modeled after real-world work environments. We envision the Center forging partnerships with industry associations, providing graduates with valuable career roadmaps, and ensuring they’re well-positioned to land their dream jobs.

CityViews are readers’ opinions, not those of City Limits. Add your voice today!

Using state-of-the-art equipment, they’d explore the diverse roles within the industry, from air traffic control to aircraft maintenance to cyber security. Fostering a passion for science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) in young minds who might not have considered these careers before. 

But the benefits go beyond sparking interest. The aviation industry currently faces a significant lack of diversity. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 9.2 percent of aircraft pilots and flight engineers in 2022 were women. The racial and ethnic demographics are just as concerning, with 95.7 percent identified as white, only 2.6 percent Black, 1.6 percent Asian, and 9.7% Hispanic or Latino. These numbers are unacceptable.

The Queens STEAM Center aims to be a catalyst for change. We are committed to exposing local youth, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to STEAM concepts related to aviation, aeronautics, airport management and more. We intend to break down barriers and motivate a new generation of diverse aviation professionals by exposing them to leadership and career opportunities in the aviation industry. This approach, in turn, will foster a more innovative and dynamic aviation sector, benefiting not just the students but the broader Southeast Queens community.

Additionally, the Queens STEAM Center would strive to equip students with the skills, resources, and networks needed to thrive in the industry. These consist of professional development, industry expertise courses, and access to flight simulators. Each partnership would provide graduates with invaluable career roadmaps, highlighting current job openings and ensuring they’re well-positioned to land their dream jobs after graduation. The Center can serve as a hub for innovation, fostering collaboration between students and industry professionals. 

Following the Brooklyn STEAM Center’s model, time at the Queens STEAM Center would seamlessly integrate into a student’s existing education. High school 11th and 12th graders would each spend a half day at the school, coupling their traditional academic work with a career-focused curriculum.

Each pathway at the Queens STEAM Center would be industry-informed and, like the Brooklyn STEAM Center, approved as a certified CTE program by the New York State Department of Education. Southeast Queens students will engage in hands-on learning from industry leaders across JFK, collaborate with aviation professionals, and practice their skills in real-world work environments.

“Expanding STEAM education is crucial for preparing our students for the future. The creation of the JFK STEAM Center will provide invaluable opportunities for high school students across Southeast Queens, allowing them to gain hands-on experience in partnership with the employers of JFK Airport. This initiative represents a significant step forward in equipping our youth with the skills necessary for success in the modern workforce,” said Henry D. Rubio, president of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrator (CSA).

Partnerships with leading companies at JFK will inform curriculum development and open doors for future opportunities. We envision our students graduating with work experience that prepares them to get paid internships, prior learning credits, and to launch careers at JFK Airport! The JFK STEAM Center wouldn’t just launch careers, it would build a supportive community around our students, fostering connections with industry professionals and peers.

Our window of opportunity is now as JFK sees record investment from the private sector, and seeks to expand public transit access into the airport for Southeast Queens commuters. We have the opportunity to use the spotlight this $19 billion renovation has provided to pull in countless stakeholders to anchor their commitment to this community. A capital investment and a structured long-term partnership with such a school to pipeline students into careers in their industries is truly possible as these stakeholders establish themselves as our neighbors. A moment that will pass as the last terminal is opened in the coming years.

This investment in our youth is an investment in the future of Southeast Queens and the aviation industry itself. The Queens STEAM Center is more than just a program; it’s a chance to empower our students and ensure Southeast Queens soars alongside JFK Airport. Let’s make this vision a reality. Together, we can make the Queens STEAM Center take flight.

Councilmember Dr. Nantasha Williams previously worked as external affairs manager for the JFK Redevelopment Program before joining the NYC Council. Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman is co-chair of the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council’s Education Committee, and Assemblymember Khaleel M. Anderson represents the JFK Airport and surrounding area in Albany.

Erin McCarthy | The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

PHILADELPHIA — Amber Wilkie likes to multitask.

It makes the software engineer’s life easier if she can run a couple errands while on a lunchtime walk with her dog, Duncan.

That often means the 14-pound Yorkie-Schnauzer mix is coming inside, whether they’re dropping off a package or picking up groceries.

Wilkie comes down on one side of the consumer debate over whether dogs and other pets should be accompanying their humans to retail stores, supermarkets, and other private businesses. Some of these establishments welcome animals as an official business policy, and see no reason not to.

And even at some food-serving establishments — which in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are technically barred by health department rules from allowing non-service animals inside — business owners, individual managers or employees tend to flout the rules.

“I bring my dog into a store if it seems like it might be appropriate,” said Wilkie, a 40-year-old Kensington resident. If she’s unsure, she’ll ask store employees if it’s OK. The answers can vary from an enthusiastic yes, to a look the other way, to no way.

“If the store says ‘no dogs,’ whatever,” Wilkie said. But “it does make me less likely to shop there.”

While shoppers like Wilkie are less likely to patronize places that prohibit pets, others are turned off by stores that allow canine companions.

“I don’t know when it became the norm,” said a 60-year-old Ocean City, New Jersey, resident who requested anonymity due to fear of hate from pet-loving friends.

“Friday night, I went out to dinner, and I’m, honest to God, thinking there is a baby in a stroller,” she added. And “there is a little tiny yapping Yorkshire in the stroller next to me. And I’m like, ‘Are you kidding me?’”

In recent decades, pet ownership has skyrocketed, with more than 65 million households nationwide — and some 778,000 in the Philadelphia area, according to Census figures — owning at least one dog, the country’s most popular pet.

And more owners are bringing their fur babies with them to places once reserved only for humans and service animals.

Going pup-friendly for pandemic recovery

BringFido, which calls itself the world’s largest pet-friendly-travel website, has more than 700,000 businesses in its global database, said its destinations editor, Erin Ballinger. In recent years, it has seen an explosion in listings, especially among hotel chains, breweries, and restaurants with outdoor seating.

“The pandemic really sped that up,” Ballinger said. “Business owners were trying to get people to come and spend money at their business, and they were trying to give people what they wanted. And a lot of people wanted to bring their pets with them.”

There are a multitude of reasons for the increased demand, according to Ballinger: More people are delaying having children, or choosing not to, leaving them with time and disposable income. And, as a recent Pew survey found, more pet owners see their dogs — and cats, too — as much a part of the family as its human members.

“They don’t want to leave their family member at home after they’ve been at work all day,” Ballinger said. Some businesses lean hard into this line of thinking, she added, with breweries offering nonalcoholic “dog beers,” restaurants including canine menus, and hotels advertising pup amenities.

A woman walks her dog toward the entrance to a Rite Aid store in South Pasadena, California, on Oct. 18, 2023. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

The Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Old City, for example, will deliver pet beds and food and water bowls to guest rooms.

National chain retailers differ on what they allow. You can’t shop with a pet at Rite Aid or CVS, according to spokespeople, but you can do so at Macy’s, the Apple Store, HomeGoods, and Tractor Supply Co.

“We welcome leashed pets in our stores, all day, every day,” Tractor Supply spokesperson Tricia Whittemore said in a statement. “Our team members know many of them by name.”

Dogs can also legally take in a Phillies game during annual “Bark at the Park” nights. They are common dinner guests on restaurant patios and in beer gardens.

Pups can even roam off leash at the Manayunk dog bar, Bark Social, which opened last year and is Philadelphia’s only food-serving establishment where dogs are permitted inside, according to Palak Raval-Nelson, the city’s deputy commissioner for environmental health services.

“In general, animals are not allowed in such establishments,” Raval-Nelson said in a statement, pointing to the public health department’s food regulations. “Please note that there is an allowance for legitimate service animals, not ’emotional support’ animals, depending on the situation.”

Pennsylvania law, meanwhile, prohibits non-service animals in food-prep areas in grocery stores, restaurants, bars, wineries, convenience stores, and “other businesses that sell anything other than prepared, packaged food and drinks in their original packaging,” according to Shannon Powers, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Animals are allowed in dining areas with dedicated servers that do not walk through other dining or food-prep areas.

When other shoppers complain about pets

Some consumers say they just want to see pet owners and businesses follow the rules.

“I don’t mind seeing pets, dogs, cats in Lowe’s, Home Depot, in stores that don’t sell food,” said Marge Gorman, a consumer from Washington Township, Gloucester County. “In stores that sell food, I think it’s a health risk.”

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Just the other day at a bulk grocer near her home, Gorman said she saw a small dog with a fellow shopper.

“The dog is yapping, and then it’s sneezing, and I’m standing at the deli counter and I’m like, ‘That is disgusting,’” she said. “I totally turned around and am like, “I’ll get my lunch meat later.’”

Angel Ryan, an Ocean City nurse who trains therapy dogs, said she thinks some people blur the line between therapy or emotional support dogs and true service dogs for people with disabilities.

“I would love to take my dogs with me everywhere,’ she said. “I don’t because they’re therapy dogs, not service dogs.”

When Wilkie shops near Kensington, most fellow customers want to stop and pet Duncan, she said. It’s rare that someone is angered by the tiny rescue pup’s presence, but it’s happened.

A couple years ago, at a grocery store in Northern Liberties, a man yelled at Wilkie and Duncan while they were waiting at the deli counter. The man also confronted several other customers with dogs, and the store asked the man to leave. It turns out, Wilkie learned later, the store’s official policy doesn’t allow dogs.

“I was surprised that a grocery store would allow a dog, because it does seem odd,” Wilkie said. “But then I saw other dogs in the store.”

©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Which iPad stand is best?

When it comes to tablets, the iPad is a classic for a reason. No matter which model you own, the battery is long-lasting, the design is convenient and you have access to exclusive apps. However, there is one snag. Most of the time, holding an iPad requires two hands, which can be a challenge if you’re trying to multitask.

Luckily, an iPad stand can help make your iPad more visible and easier to use. Whether you’re looking for a stand that will turn your iPad into a second monitor or a convenient cookbook, there’s an iPad stand for you.

What to know before you buy an iPad stand

Height

The reason for getting an iPad stand will vary from person to person. You might want to use it as a bedside holder, while others would like to prop up their tablet while reading recipes in the kitchen. Consider all the ways you would use the stand and which height would be the best for your specific needs.

Adjustments

An iPad’s display rotates depending on its orientation. Ideally, you want an iPad stand that can rotate just as easily as the display. An adjustable stand will increase functionality and be more compatible with the tablet’s orientations.

Display size

There is nothing wrong with getting an iPad stand that fits your current model perfectly. But what happens when you upgrade to a device that is a different size? If that could be the case, consider a stand that is compatible with different iPad sizes. Most stands can also be adjusted in terms of the display’s size, so keep that in mind.

What to look for in an iPad stand

Cable management

As much as we would like it, iPads don’t have an infinite battery life. At some point, your device will need to be charged, but the one thing that can quickly make a space look untidy is messy cable management. A good quality iPad stand will have a spot for you to thread the charging cable through so that it is out of the way and out of sight.

Securing mechanism

The purpose of an iPad stand is to hold your device in place. If the mechanism that holds it there fails, you could have a cracked screen or a damaged tablet. A good quality iPad stand will have a mechanism to secure the iPad so it doesn’t easily slip off or out of the stand.

Material

As with most accessories for tablets and computers, the more affordable products tend to be made from plastic. This isn’t necessarily bad, but a metal or steel iPad stand will provide you with the best aesthetics and durability.

How much you can expect to spend on an iPad stand

Stands for your iPad or other tablets are inexpensive to manufacture, resulting in an affordable purchase. A no-frills stand may be under $10, but more expensive models can retail for as much as $50.

iPad stand FAQ

Can I use a stand if my iPad has a case on it?

A. Yes, but in some instances, it could compromise the securing mechanism of the iPad stand. Most iPad stands are designed to accommodate thick cases though.

Can I secure the iPad stand onto a surface?

A. That will depend on the design of the iPad stand. If the stand has rubber or silicone feet, it won’t need to be secured, as this prevents the stand from slipping or moving around. Look for an iPad stand that isn’t top-heavy but has a large base.

What’s the best iPad stand to buy?

Top iPad stand

Lamicall Adjustable Tablet Stand

What you need to know: A sturdy stand that is big enough to hold most tablet sizes.

What you’ll love: Made from aluminum alloy, this iPad stand has a heavy and wide base that keeps it in place wherever it is used. The tablet rests on a small shelf, and the arm can be adjusted in two locations. The hinges are tight, keeping the arm from sliding down or adjusting by itself. It is compatible with tablets ranging in size from 4 inches to 13 inches.

What you should consider: The holder itself can’t be rotated, so if you want to view the iPad in a different orientation, you need to pick it up and rotate it manually.

Top iPad stand for your money

Amazon Basics Multi-Angle Portable Stand for iPad Tablet, E-reader and Phone

What you need to know: This no-frills iPad stand will get the job done.

What you’ll love: Perfect on a bedside table or in the kitchen, this plastic stand has slip-resistant rubber pads on the bottom. The side button allows it to be adjusted to accommodate multiple viewing angles, and it folds flat when closed.

What you should consider: This stand is a bit small.

Worth checking out

AboveTEK iPad Stand

What you need to know: Versatile and durable. It works perfectly at any angle.

What you’ll love: The iPad stand is made from durable plastic and features a heavy metal base that can’t be easily knocked over. The iPad is held in place by retractable arms on both sides, which clamp onto the iPad’s edges. The stand can be rotated at two different hinges, while a third swivel rotates the arm a full 360 degrees. You can thread a charging cable through the hole in the middle of the stand arm.

What you should consider: Due to its construction, it might not be suitable for use with iPads that have thick protective cases.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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