Running Scared

Joey Gazelle (Walker) is a low level mob guy whose only role in the organisation is to dispose of 'hot' guns from mob killings. But Joey has a penchant for hanging onto the guns, storing them in the wall of his basement. When Joey's ten-year-old son (Neuberger) and his best friend Oleg (Bright) witness Joey hiding the guns, Oleg steals one and kills his abusive father. But Oleg's father happens to be the nephew of a psychotic Russian mob boss and not only that, he is in cahoots with Joey's boss. Joey soon finds himself hunted down by all sides and he still has to answer to his wife (Farminga).

Writer-director Wayne Kramer keeps the pace at top speed throughout this moody mob thriller as one would expect from the writer of Boiler Room. Interesting choice of project for Walker after the sun-kissed beach body of Into The Blue and, although Running Scared may star him, it certainly isn't a Paul Walker movie. In Into The Blue, Walker was asked to up his acting game and was found wanting on many occasions, but here Walker's limited range actually suits the mood of the film and the character as Joey rarely exhibits emotion either way. The appearance of Chaz Palminteri adds considerable weight to the line-up. Heavy on violence, light on sub-text - Running Scared is filthy fun.