# You Can't Run Forever

You Can't Run Forever (formerly titled The Woods) is a 2024 American thriller film written by Carolyn Carpenter and Michelle Schumacher, directed by Schumacher and starring J. K. Simmons.
The film was released in the United States on May 17, 2024.

## Plot Summary

The film changes between 4 viewpoints: Wade the killer, Miranda, a teenage girl suffering from anxiety due to a tragic event from her past, Miranda's stepmother and surprisingly Emily, and the police.
Wade stops at a gas station and kills several people there leaving one survivor.
Ed and Jenny Cooper are expecting a baby. They live with Miranda, Jenny’s daughter, and Ed's daughter Emily from a previous relationship. Miranda suffers from anxiety and panic attacks and is on medication. Ed and Miranda leave together.
On the way they stop at a gas station and Ed leaves with Miranda after encountering Wade. Emily arrives at the house to visit Jenny.
Wade causes Ed to crash his car and Ed tells Miranda to run. As she escapes Wade shoots him. Wade cuts off Ed's finger and steals his phone so he can unlock it.
The police begin tracking Wade and obtain a sketch of Wade from the survivor at the first gas station and discover Wade's motorcycle is stolen.
Wade pursues Miranda in the woods. Miranda has panic attacks while evading Wade, who shoots two hunters while stalking Miranda. Miranda leaves a voicemail for Jenny and calls the police to let them know Wade is after her. Miranda encounters a camping family but Wade shoots all three of them.
Jenny retrieves the voicemail and alerts Emily and the authorities. The police arrive and interview her and Emily volunteers to find Miranda.
Miranda realizes Wade is using Ed's phone to track her and she turns off the phone. She later bumps into Todd, the teenahr6 son of the family she met before, who survived the gunshot. Todd and Miranda flee Wade. Miranda and Todd bond overnight and she reveals she found her birth father’s body after he committed suicide and that caused her mental illness. They fall asleep.
The police search for Miranda and find the bodies of Todd’s parents. Wade is revealed as a disgruntled college professor on a killing rampage.
Miranda wakes up to find Todd succumbed to his wounds and died. Miranda arrives to the nearby ranger station where the police and reunites with Emily.
Wade decides to go to Ed and Jenny’s home. He holds Jenny hostage and calls Emily and tells her and Miranda come. After a struggle Jenny shoots Wade and later has her baby.

## Cast

* J. K. Simmons as Wade
* Allen Leech as Eddie
* Fernanda Urrejola as Jenny
* Isabelle Anaya as Miranda
* Olivia Simmons as Emily
* Max Garfin as Ben
* Nathan Vincenti as Davis

## Production

In September 2021, it was announced that Simmons, Leech, Urrejola, and Anaya had been cast in the film. It was also reported that same month that filming had occurred in Missoula, Montana.
In January 2023, filming wrapped.
Simmons confirmed in an interview with MovieWeb that the making of the film was a family collaboration since his wife co-wrote and directed the film, his brother-in-law produced it, his son composed the score of the film and his daughter makes an appearance in the film.

## Release

You Can't Run Forever was released in the United States on May 17, 2024.

## Reception

The film holds a 29% approval rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 critics' reviews, with an average rating of 4.2/10. Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com awarded the film one and a half stars. Will Sayre of MovieWeb rated the film a 3 out of 5.