Civic Duty (film)
2006 film directed by Jeff Renfroe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Civic Duty is a 2006 thriller film directed by Jeff Renfroe and starring Peter Krause, Khaled Abol Naga, Kari Matchett, and Richard Schiff.
| Civic Duty | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jeff Renfroe |
| Written by | Andrew Joiner |
| Produced by | Andrew Lanter |
| Starring | Peter Krause Khaled Abol Naga Richard Schiff Kari Matchett Ian Tracey |
| Cinematography | Dylan Macleod |
| Edited by | Erik Hammarberg Jeff Renfroe |
| Music by | Terry Huud Eli Krantzberg |
| Distributed by | Freestyle Releasing |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 98 minutes |
| Countries | Canada United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
The film is about an American accountant bombarded with cable news and the media's obsession with terrorist plots in the post 9/11 world, who receives a jolt when an unattached Islamic graduate student moves in next door.
Cast
- Peter Krause as Terry Allen
- Khaled Abol Naga as Gabe Hassan
- Richard Schiff as FBI Agent Tom Hilary
- Kari Matchett as Marla Allen
- Ian Tracey as Lieutenant Randall Lloyd
- Vanesa Tomasino as Bank Teller
- Laurie Murdoch as Loan Officer
- Michael Roberds as Post Office Clerk
- Agam Darshi as Nurse
- Mark Brandon as Night Anchor Bret Anderson
- Brenda Crichlow as Day Anchor Tricia Wise
- Val Cole as Morning Anchor Susan Harwood
- Mark Docherty as News Reporter Chad Winslow
- Michael St. John Smith as Legal Analyst
- P. Lynn Johnson as Governor Bradley
Critical reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 56% of 57 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "At times a tense and provocative thriller, Civic Duty struggles to move beyond its one-note premise."[1]
Richard Nilsen, film critic for The Arizona Republic, liked the film at times, but gave the film a mixed review. He wrote, "It does build up considerable suspense and tension; Renfroe has learned well from Hitchcock. And the final confrontation builds to a harrowing pitch. But that can't rescue the film from a silly, melodramatic finish."[2]
Gabe Hassan (played by actor Khaled Abol Naga, who is a star in his native Egypt,[3] perhaps the most handsome would-be modern day terrorist ever[4]) gives an inspired performance as the terrorist / grad student who challenges the lunatic (Peter Krause) that has him captive and effectively glides over a range of emotions[5]
