Running Scared 3-06

By Clayton Davis

Well, now that the 2005 year is over, we are in the undeniable horrific part called the first quarter of the year. It’s this time of the year where movies don’t shine but you may get the occasional Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or a Joan Allen somewhere in the mix. Running Scared written and directed by Wayne Kramer, who is responsible for penciling The Cooler which gained a nomination for Alec Baldwin, brings this twisted and sometimes unsettling film to the screen. The cinematography is unique but at times feels like a home movie wannabe Matrix with bullets and cameras panning in and out and going into reverse. It gets quite confusing but it works and makes the movie that much more interesting.

The plot is everywhere and is by far one of the most tangent driven stories I’ve seen since Vanilla Sky. You think the movie is going one way but then Kramer brings in the most random “coincidences.” I say “coincidence” very sarcastically. The film keeps you intrigued and wanting more of the story but I’m afraid it ends not wrapped up like a Christmas present and rather like a gift bag put together at your local drugstore. Loose ends and complicated story plots make Scared a fun time at the movies but no where on its way to a classic. The performances are something to be desired.

Leading the pack is Paul Walker with his on and off New York/New Jersey accent. Walker is pretty much just a pretty face and doesn’t really show any potential for Oscar in the coming years. Cameron Bright gives an endearing child performance but trust me; he is not Haley Joel Osment. His frightening “Oleg” is troubled and pained and Bright does a superb job of illustrating it in his face. His dialogue is often at times flat and misleading. If you were to give a standout in this film it would hands down be Vera Farmiga. Farmiga, who surprised critics around by winning the Los Angeles Best Actress award for Down to the Bone, can see at herself in a ceremony one day given the right role. The performance is similar and mirrors Maria Bello’s performance in A History of Violence but of course, doesn’t measure. She is sexy especially in her sex scene with Walker and is a ballsy wife which gives the qualities of Bello. The writing was just too corny and too cheesy for her to bring any depth to the character. The supporting cast is your typical Italian and Russian mafia and mob bosses but no Pesci’s, Hurt’s, or Brando’s here. Just stereotypical characters with bad acting attached.If you want to kill sometime this first quarter, catch Running Scared but don’t expect that last until next January. Oscar chances lie in cinematography and maybe some sound but don’t hold your breathe. Enjoy the film for what it is, an action flick with interesting “coincidences” (there goes sarcasm again) and funny plot twists.

Grade: **/****