15 Minutes (Infinifilm Edition) (2001) Directed by John Herzfeld, 121 minutes,
4.9/10 (120 votes)
About the Movie: 15 Minutes wants to be provocative, but it exists in an alternate reality where rules of logic and credibility no longer apply. In his underrated film 2 Days in the Valley, writer-director John Herzfeld wryly exposed the underbelly of California's San Fernando Valley, but in the artificial New York City of 15 Minutes, he attempts a timely mixture of satire and social commentary that's only marginally convincing. Herzfeld's premise is both vivid and valid in addressing the deterioration of morals in American mass media, but in exploring the dark side of fame, the last few minutes of Taxi Driver have more impact than this entire movie. Robert De Niro stars as Eddie Flemming, a hotshot homicide detective whose current double-murder case teams him with arson investigator Jordy Warsaw (Edward Burns). Their investigation leads to a pair of Eastern European nut-jobs (one Czech, one Russian) who've embarked on an impromptu killing spree--all captured on video by the Russian, who fancies himself an auteur of the American dream. In a pileup of contrivances, a reporter (Melina Kanakaredes) is also Eddie's girlfriend, and a tabloid TV host (Kelsey Grammer) seeks the killers' video with the scruples of Adolf Hitler. Blink and you'll miss Charlize Theron in a throwaway role, but that's nothing compared to the killing of a major character--a scene devoid of emotion that's more grist for the media mill. With appalling bloodlust, 15 Minutes sheds a sickening light on America's twisted character, but instead of illuminating, it only darkens the gloom. --Jeff Shannon
15 Minutes (Teaser Trailer) (87) From New Line Cinema, the studio that
brought you "Pride & Glory" & John
Hertzfeld, the writer & director of "2
Days In The Valley", comes this gripping
& tense look at how two killers will
do anything for their "15 Minutes" of fame
and how two men will do anything to stop
the madness!
When Eastern European criminals Oleg and
Emil (Karel Roden, Hellboy, Bulletproof
Monk) come to New York City to pick up
their share of a heist score, Oleg steals
a video camera and starts filming their
activities, both legal and illegal.
When they learn how the American media
circus can make a remorseless killer look
like the victim and make them rich, they
target media-savvy NYPD Homicide Detective
Eddie Flemming (Oscar winner Robert
DeNiro) and media-naive FDNY Fire Marshal
Jordy Warsaw (Edward Burns, The Holiday,
She's The One), the cops investigating
their murder and torching of their former
criminal partner, filming everything to
sell to the local tabloid TV show "Top
Story."
Also starring Emmy winner Kelsey Grammer
("Fraiser", "Cheers"), Melina Kanakaredes
("CSI:NY", The Long Kiss Goodnight) and
featuring special appearances by Kim
Cattrall, David Alan Grier, & Oscar
winner Charlize Theron, "15 Minutes" is a
clever & suspenseful action thriller
where some people will kill to be in the
spotlight!
MPAA Rated R for strong violence,
language, & some sexuality.
Released by New Line Cinema, an division
of Warner Bros. Pictures, an TimeWarner
company.
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