15 Minutes (Infinifilm Edition) (2001)
Front Cover Actor
Robert De Niro Detective Eddie Flemming
Edward Burns Jordy Warsaw
Kelsey Grammer Robert Hawkins
Avery Brooks Detective Leon Jackson
Melina Kanakaredes Nicolette Karas
Karel Roden Emil Slovak
Oleg Taktarov Oleg Razgul
Vera Farmiga Daphne Handlova
John DiResta Bobby Korfin
James Handy Deputy Chief Fire Marshal Declan Duffy
Movie Details
Genre Crime; Thriller; Action; Drama
Director John Herzfeld
Producer Keith Addis; David Blocker
Writer John Herzfeld
Language English
Audience Rating R (Restricted)
Running Time 120 mins
Country USA
Color Color
Plot
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

Personal Details
Seen It Yes
Index 29
In Collection Yes
Product Details
Format DVD
Region Region 1
UPC 794043516627
Release Date 2004
Nr of Disks/Tapes 1
Extra Features
Color Closed-captioned Widescreen
Links
Internet Movie Database