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PANIC Send This Review to a Friend
Some people raise their sons to be doctors, some lawyers. In "Panic," dad has raised his son to be a hit man. After all, that's the family business. Dad, a killer himself, finds the clients and orders the hits. But the son is beginning to have his doubts. He'd like a change of profession. Not much use talking to mom. She started the business.
Donald Sutherland as Michael, the father, can always be counted on for a good performance, and here he captures the single-minded, rough-edged personality of the sort of pop who'll teach a two-year-old to shoot squirrels. Train 'em young, as he did with his son and now wants to do with his grandchild. William H. Macy as the son Alex, so good as the movie director in "State and Main," is a fine actor who imbues the son with plenty of angst and hesitancy. His wife, Martha (Tracey Ullman) can't understand why he's becoming so distant.
Falling for Sarah (Neve Campbell), whom Alex meets in the office of the psychiatrist he is seeing, also has something to do with his withdrawn manner at home, especially since she is trying hard not to get involved. Meanwhile, Alex has a new assignment from his father, one he is reluctant to carry out. The whole matter of killing for hire is treated cold-bloodedly in the story, written by Henry Bromell, who also directs. While the icy tone is appropriate, the very frigidness undercuts any appeal that the drama might have. Although consistently interesting, "Panic" is a nasty little piece, true to itself, but not much fun seeing, especially in its explosive climax. From Roxie releasing.
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