''Running for Grace'' is a 2018 American romance film directed by

David L. Cunningham David L. Cunningham, born in Switzerland (February 24, 1971) and raised in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, is an international filmmaker. Besides his documentary credits in more than 40 countries, Cunningham has also directed several feature films including ...

based on the original screenplay by Christian Parkes. The film stars

Matt Dillon Matthew Raymond Dillon (born February 18, 1964) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including an Oscar and Grammy nomination. Dillon made his feature film debut in '' Over the Edge'' (1979) and established himself as a te ...

Jim Caviezel James Patrick Caviezel Jr. (; born September 26, 1968) is an American film and television actor who played Jesus Christ in ''The Passion of the Christ'' (2004) and starred as John Reese on the CBS series ''Person of Interest'' (2011–2016). He ...

and

Ryan Potter Ryan Potter (born September 12, 1995) is an American actor and voice actor. He made his acting debut as the lead of the Nickelodeon action comedy series ''Supah Ninjas'' (2011–2013). As a voice actor, he voiced Hiro Hamada in the animated sup ...

. The film was released on August 17, 2018 in the United States. The film was shot on location in Hawaii and at Kona-based Honua Studios. It was originally known as ''Jo, the Medicine Runner''.

Plot

The film is set in the Kona Coffee Belt of Hawaii during the 1920s. Japanese immigrant laborers and the white upperclass live in a rigidly classist society. Jo (played as a child by Cole Takiue), an orphan of mixed-race lineage, finds himself ostracized by both groups until Doc (

), a white doctor from the mainland, is hired as a physician for workers on the plantation owned by Mr. Danielson (

Nick Boraine Nicholas Boraine (born 14 November 1971) is a South African actor. Life and education Boraine graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in 1994 with an Honours Degree in Dramatic Art. In March 2011, he joined Global Arts Corps as Associ ...

). Doc has Jo run medicine and translate for him on the island. Ten years later, Jo (

) falls in love with the plantation owner's daughter, Grace (Olivia Ritchie). They interact a few times at the Danielson's home under the guise of treating her ankle injury. Mr. Danielson meets a new doctor, Dr. Reyes (

), and invites him to tend to the white upperclass residents of the island, even as his company is going bankrupt. Throughout this time, Doc has been taking several secret trips to see a lawyer in

Hilo Hilo () is a census-designated place (CDP) and the largest settlement in Hawaii County, Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States, which encompasses the Hawaii (island), Island of Hawaii. The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 United ...

about formally adopting Jo, even though it was illegal at that time to adopt a

mixed-race Mixed race people are people of more than one race or ethnicity. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mixed race people in a variety of contexts, including ''multiethnic'', ''polyethnic'', occasionally ''bi-ethn ...

child. Jo at first is impressed by the new doctor and his car, a

Ford Model T The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relati ...

, and asks him to take him on as an assistant. However, when they go to treat Mr. Danielson's accountant, who had poisoned himself as a suicide attempt, Jo realizes that the doctor is a charlatan. Dr. Reyes later expresses a romantic interest in Grace, and her father, seeing it as an opportunity to save his plantation and way of life, encourages the proposal. Mr. Danielson sets out on a trip to Hilo to discuss his looming bankruptcy with the bank, intending to inform them that Grace is marrying into a wealthy family. Along the way, he accidentally falls into a ditch and hits his head. Doc and Jo are the first to reach him and, on inspection, Doc fears Mr. Danielson's head injury is severe. He tells Jo to find Dr. Reyes so that they can use his motorcar to transport him. At his home, Mr. Danielson and his mother (

Juliet Mills Juliet Maryon Mills (born 21 November 1941) is an English-American actress. She is the daughter of actor Sir John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell and the eldest of three siblings; her younger siblings are actress Hayley Mills and director Jonathan M ...

) insist Dr. Reyes treat his injury and that Doc and Jo leave. Moments later, Grace comes crying out of the house announcing that her father is dead. Grace's grandmother and Dr. Reyes watch Grace and Jo embrace, and Grace's grandmother scolds Grace and pulls her away. That night, Doc and Jo are walking back to their house. Along the way, Dr. Reyes purposefully chases them in his car and tries to run them over. Doc manages to push Jo out of the way, but gets hit himself and dies shortly afterward. Dr. Reyes threatens to kill Jo if he doesn't leave town. Later, Jo returns to his mother's house and is found by the Hilo lawyer who informs him that Doc's adoption was a success. Jo runs to the scheduled wedding between Dr. Reyes and Grace and asks for her hand in marriage. Grace's caretaker of several years, Miss Hanabusa (Rumi Oyama), approves the proposal and informs everyone that Mr. Danielson was bankrupt.

Cast

as "Doc" *

as Doctor Reyes *

as Jo * Olivia Ritchie as Grace Danielson *

as Mr. Danielson * Rumi Oyama as Miss Hanabusa *

as Grace's Grandmother * Stelio Savante as Mayor * Cole Takiue as Young Jo

Release

The film was released two weeks early in Hawaii before it received its mainland release in the United States on Aug 17, 2018. The film first premiered in three movie theaters in Hawaii on July 20, 2018.

Awards

The original screenplay ''The Medicine Runner'' by Christian Parkes was a 2003

Nicholl Fellowship The Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting is a fellowship program founded in 1986 to aid screenwriters. It is administered by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. History Gee Nicholl, widow of producer Don Nicholl, worked w ...

Semi-Finalist.

References

External links

* * {{Rotten Tomatoes, running_for_grace
Official website
2018 romance films American romance films Films shot in Hawaii Films set in the 1920s Films set in Hawaii 2010s English-language films 2010s American films