THE TUTOR

A self-absorbed, venal dysfunctional family encounters a self-absorbed, venal psychotic tutor, with horrible results for nearly everyone. James Daniels makes the story almost tolerable despite the cusswords that assault the ear with mind-numbing frequency. Daniels's grasp of characterization is wondrous, even that of the canny 11-year-old girl. He plays the tutor with slick calmness, like an emotionless version of Vincent Price. One longs for a stalwart hero to appear out of nowhere, but he or she doesn't. D.R.W. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB / MAR 03]