15 Minutes

Robert DeNiro is simply amazing. He can carry a movie if he has to, and he did for the most part in "15 Minutes". The first thirty minutes are kind of a drag. Fortunately, it gets much better after that.

There are quite a few stereotypical characters, which made this film less palatable from my standpoint. DeNiro plays a famous (though for what reason, I'm not sure) cop, who is quite astute, but an alcoholic. He sort of inherits a partner in Ed Burns, who actually plays an arson investigator. Burns works for the chief-who-nearly-blows-a-gasket everytime he sees him, which we've all seen a time or two in films like this. Kelsey Grammer plays the unscrupulous tabloid TV reporter, and one of his first lines of dialogue--I swear!--is "if it bleeds, it leads". Who writes this stuff?

Aside from the sluggish beginning, there are some nifty plot twists and some funny moments. A particular favourite is when Burns has to leave a robbery suspect handcuffed to a tree before he runs off to a fire. It doesn't sound funny, but trust me, it's good...plus, it added a nice break to a lot of disturbing violence.

The plot basically deals with two Eastern Europeans who come to NYC to look up one of their old running buddies, who apparently owe them money, and a killing spree ensues.

One of the goons--a Tom Berenger-on-steroids type--is obsessed with American movies and pictures himself as a Russian Frank Capra. He steals a video camera and tapes every moment of their gruesome encounters. The constant usage of the camera borders on the ridiculous at times, especially in some of the chase scenes, but the grainy footage adds an even chillier and darker look into their psychopathic exploits. The weirdos eventually use their footage--along with some ideas from daytime television--in an attempt to gain notoriety and money.

There are some "Backdraft" elements here, but the obsessive Grammer definitely adds something to the fast and furious ending. Burns is definitely dead-on in his performance, and I would see this just for that alone. And DeNiro, of course.

3 stars

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Rhonda

"If it bleeds, it leads" is actually a long-time truism in journalism. I've heard that exact phrase used many times.

This is a movie that I was wanting to see based on the trailer, but I've read so many bad reviews that I was starting to think that I shouldn't waste my time. Sounds like you liked it better than the critics I read. (And truthfully, I put more faith in the opinions of the people on this board than I do on most professional critics).

I just like the fact you have an "Anti-Bud Adams" page. Well, I wanted to be fair. I didn't completely hate it, but I didn't completely love it, either. If it weren't for DeNiro and Ken Burns...well, it would have been pretty bad.

Yes, I know about the journalistic trueisms, having been a TV/Radio/Journalism type most of my life. That was the point I was trying to make...it is an overdone phrase, especially in that field.