Escape Clause
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Cast: Andrew McCarthy, Paul Sorvino, Kate McNeil, Connie Britton, Kenneth Welsh, John Evans, Stan Egi, Scott Wickware, Sean Dick, Chantel Dick, Lupe Arenas, Tara Rosling, Peter Langley, Victor Young, Peter Donaldson, Dawn Greenhalgh, Claire Rankin, Yanira Contrera, Stephen Bogaert, Roger Honeywell, Ron Hartman, Bob Clout, Robbie Rox, Gord MacKenzie, Phillip Jarrett, John Boylan , Shawn Lawrence, Chuck Shamata, Laura Catalano, Carol Chwaiewsky, Tricia Brioux , D. Garnet Harding, Djanet Sears. Writer-producer Danilo Bach kicks insurance into a murder game and for awhile, his stylish production, insinuatingly directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, looks like the intricate mystery it's trying to be. But a few too many twists, a few too many herrings, a few too many suspects dull the summer fare.
TX:Happily married to Sarah (Kate McNeil), living the good life with their two kids, Richard's knocked for a loop when he gets an anonymous call from a man saying he's been hired by Sarah to wipe out Richard.
TX: TX:Filmed in Toronto by MGM. Producer-writer, Danilo Bach; director, Brian Trenchard-Smith; If Richard counter-offers, the caller will roll over; Richard declines.
There are a lot of people who have a reason to break up the marriage: Sarah's stuffy parents (Dawn Greenhalgh, Kenneth Welsh); her lifelong chum Leslie (Connie Britton); Richard's ambitious, devious associate Abe (Stan Egi); a Cambridge friend of Sarah (Scott Wickware), a soaked-up ex-investigator and the threatener himself (John Evans).
The only people who seem to be clearly on Richard's side are his psychiatrist (Peter Donaldson), police lieutenant Ferrand (Paul Sorvino), and maybe Leslie.
TX:The story does gallop, but, with the whiffs of red herring, that doesn't mean much. Still, writer Bach pens sharp dialogue, and the vidpic's atmosphere and purposefulness should hold viewers. TX:McCarthy is able as the besieged husband. McNeil is strong as Sarah, and Welsh and Greenhalgh are splendid as conniving in-laws. Egi is stuck with an obvious character; Britton's fine as the enigmatic Leslie.
Sorvino's presence gives the vidpic solidity until his final heavy-footed entrance. Considering their screen time, young Sean Dick and Chantel Dick are attractive as the kids.
TX:Tech credits are excellent, and the score by Ken Thorne and Richard Marvin is helpful.
Camera, Bert Tougas; editor, Bill Goddard; production designer, Ian Brock; sound, Dan Latour; music, Ken Thorne, Richard Marvin; casting, Mary Jo Slater, Steve Brooksbank.
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