Joey Gazelle (Paul Walker) has loyally served as a flunkie in the local mob gang for almost a decade. When a drug deal goes bad and several dirty cops are killed in the process, the mob boss’ son, Tommy (Johnny Messner), gives Joey a simple task: dispose of the gun that he used to kill the cops. Instead of throwing the gun in the river, Joey hides it in his basement. His son, Nicky (Alex Neuberger), and his friend, Oleg (Cameron Bright), see him hide the gun. Oleg steals the gun and uses it to shoot his abusive stepfather and then flees the scene. Joey has to track down the boy and the gun before it can be used as evidence against him (and the mob) in the drug deal shooting.
Writer/director Wayne Kramer, who was responsible for 2003’s excellent mob love story, The Cooler, has put together an extremely violent and implausible, yet highly entertaining, crime drama. Running Scared is fast-paced and doesn’t let up until the credits roll. During the film’s journey through the New Jersey underworld, we visit a number of grimy locations and meet quite a few sleazy characters.
What makes Running Scared so entertaining is the performance of Paul Walker. Having seen him in tripe like Varsity Blues and The Fast and the Furious, I was under the impression he was a hack that scraped by on looks alone. Running Scared proves that he’s got some serious acting chops.
Another pleasant surprise is Vera Farmiga, who was so good in The Departed, as Joey’s wife, Teresa. She plays a character that breaks the stereotype of the “mob wife” role. The script gives her a toughness that plays an important part in the story. (Her character is part of something that will most likely be the one thing in the movie that you’ll talk about afterwards.)
Sadly overlooked during its theatrical run, Running Scared deserves the same level of attention as The Boondock Saints and other post-Tarantino ultra-violent crime dramas. In fact, aside from Tarantino’s work, this is one of the best of the genre. Seek it out.
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
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