Running Scared

Starring: Paul Walker, Cameron Bright, Chazz Palminteri, Elizabeth Mitchell
Directed by: Wayne Kramer
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
2006

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A mid-level gangster (Paul Walker) is supposed to dispose of a gun used to murder a cop. The neighbor's kid ends up with the gun and uses it to shoot his abusive father. Now, the gun must be recovered before the police get it, and before the mob finds out that the gun is missing.

Review:

Tim: My brain can barely contain my thoughts regarding this movie. Running Scared is an adult movie that features Paul Walker as a tough, streetwise thug and the movie isn't completely ridiculous. In fact, the film is entertaining, gritty, and refreshingly real. Most amazing is that Walker is surprisingly good in the role. He is believable, tough, and yet sympathetic. How Walker manages to be this good, I don't know, but I was thoroughly impressed with his performance. He allows the rest of the movie to work.

The film excels because it is a dark, unflinching look at a mid-level gangster and the very difficult world in which he exists. This is a world of abusive parents, deadly hockey rink encounters, domestic violence, pedophiles, and more. This is not a pleasant world, and we see all this through the eyes of Walker and his family. There are some scenes that just chill your blood- watch for the "true evil" scene, as it is not easy to forget. The film puts children and Walker in jeopardy, and this keeps us nervous, but engaged. To top it all off, the film's conclusion somehow manages to be a bit shocking, even after we thought we've already seen everything. This is quite an achievement.

Running Scared is a small but effective film that tells a powerful story. This isn't a film that you'd want to watch too often, but the gritty subject matter, dangerous situations, and Walker's excellent performances makes Running Scared a film that you cannot afford to miss.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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