Saorise Ronan ignites as a recovering alcoholic stuck in the past.

The location of the Orkney Islands in “The Outrun” is beautifully photographed with the water, the seals, the green grass, and the wind blowing. Photographed by Yunus Roy Imer, the movie feels like a passion piece for the Scottish archipelago. A beautiful place like that must have a beautiful story to tell. Or at least a heartbreaking story to merge with the tone and complexity.

“The Outrun,” which enters that dramatic category, uses a non-linear narrative to tell the story of how a young Scottish alcoholic hit the bottle and got herself cleaned. It’s based on Amy Liptrot’s memoir about how she went from Orkney Islands to London, resorted to drugs and alcohol which cost her a lot of things, and came back home to recover.

Saorise Ronan plays Rona, who has enough pathos in her life to lead her to boozing. Her farmer father Andrew (Stephan Dilane) is bipolar, and her mother Annie (Saskia Reeves) has become religious. She moves from her home in the Orkney Islands to London, where she parties and drinks. And as a result, the alcohol threatens to destroy the very fabric of her being, even losing her boyfriend Daynin (Paapa Essiedu) and job in the process.

There are segments like parties that go on too long, which is why I can’t give the movie a full 4-star rating but there are outcomes in certain parts to reflect on the main heroine’s addiction. And they’re well-acted with realism and whatever humanity is left within.

There’s a scene when Daynin breaks a bottle on the group, and Rona cuts herself just to get a little sip of what’s left. And she also believes that he’s controlling her. We also see little Rona witnessing her father’s behavior during his episodes, and in her early 20s, it’s no different, especially when she sees a glass with some red wine in it, which she dips her finger in to taste.

After rehab, she returns home and volunteers for the RSPB, which is dedicated to preserving corn crakes. So with the memories of her past and without the booze, how can she move forward? It’s a complicated question, and alcoholism is no laughing matter. People can recover from it or they can poison themselves deeper. So, watching “The Outrun,” we’re able to sympathize and support Rona through her recovery.

The movie was co-written and directed by Nora Fingscheidt, whose last two movies were the German import “System Crasher” and the Sandra Bullock disappointment “The Unforgivable.” Her new movie is quite an improvement because of how she represents Liptrot’s story with the difficult realities of what she went through. Pathos can cause alcoholism which is unfortunate, and Ronan’s performance ignites that with vibrance. Seeing her with or without booze, we’re able to acknowledge the actress’ tone and emotions, and that’s why she’s one of our finest young actresses in this generation.

I also meant what I said about the photography of “The Outrun.” It looks lovely with the clouds and fogs covering the grasslands and ocean. And I love looking at those seals, and how Rona goes swimming. I can imagine how chilly it would be, and it matches the somber scale.

A drama like this should match the scope and story with complexity. It’s about how a young woman learns to move on with her life and how she can better herself. I don’t know the true story, so I can’t really compare and contrast elements, but I can show sympathy for both Liptrot and Rona. Alcoholism is an addiction, and it would take a miracle to recover from. Some people can and others can’t, but for now, let’s try to focus more on the positives.

In Select Theaters This Thursday