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Panic
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Metascore
77 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 16 Ratings

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10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Neve Campbell, William H. Macy
  • Summary: Alex (Macy) is dissatisfied with his family life, and his work in the father's (Sutherland) business...as a professional hitman. When he seeks the help of a counselor (Ritter), an encounter with a troubled young woman (Campbell) in the waiting room changes his perspective.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    100
    Seeps with melancholy, old wounds, repressed anger, lust. That it is also caustically funny and heartwarming is miraculous.
  2. Mr. Showbiz
    Reviewed by: Kevin Maynard
    100
    Unfolds like quietly engrossing short fiction, reminding us that there are few things more pleasurable than being in the hands of a good storyteller.
    All this critic's reviews
  3. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Lisa Alspector
    60
    This bright noir, with gleaming cinematography by Jeffrey Jur, is as single-minded as a short story, but the premise is almost too clever.

See all 24 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. NickA.
    9
    In his first go as a Hollywood director, Henry Brommell whips an enthralling yarn that is all of penetrating relatable marital issues with melancholic authenticity, and lacing such with an equally absorbing subplot of a father-son hitman business. The film is directed astutely and consists of a wonderfully put together cast as well as a swift, family-conscious screenplay (also by Brommell) that brings life to an otherwise fatigued genre. As a bonus, 'Panic' delivers subtle, acerbic humor—an unexpected, undeniably charming, and very welcome surprise—through its bumbling, unsure-of-himself, low-key star, whose ever-cool state is enticing, especially given his line of work. The forever-great William H. Macy again captures our hearts as Alex, a unhappy, torn, middle-aged husband and father who finds solace in the most dubious of persons: a young, attractive, equally-messed-up 23-year-old named Sarah (Neve Campbell), whom he meets in the waiting-room at a psychologist’s office, where he awaits the therapy of Dr. Josh Parks (John Ritter) to discuss his growing eagerness to quit the family business that his father (Donald Sutherland) built. Alex, whose lust to lead a new life is obstructed by the fear of disappointing his dictating father, strikes an unwise fancy for Sarah, which ultimately leads him to understand the essence and irrefutable responsibility of being a husband to his wife and, more importantly to him, a good father to his six-year-old son, Sammy (played enthusiastically by the endearing David Dorfman). Henry Brommell’s brilliant 'Panic' is something of a rarity in Hollywood seldom seen (with the exception of 2002’s 'Road to Perdition') since its conception in 2000—it weaves two conflicting genres (organized-crime, family drama) into a fascinating, warm hunk of movie-viewing that is evenly strong in either direction—and it’s one that will maintain its exceptional, infrequent caliber and gleaming sincerity for ages to come.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. TonyB.
    9
    excellent movie i cant believe this movie wasnt bigger. i didnt even hear about it until i saw it on tnt. i also found it extremely hard to find in stores but fortunatly i did find a copy today so happy excellent movie a deffinatly worth a viewing.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. JayH
    6
    Fine story, a little too slow moving, but the cast is great, particularly William H. Macy. Good writing. Barbara Bain is fine in a supporting role.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 9 User Reviews

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