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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
Product Description
Robert DeNiro (Meet The Parents, Analyse This) and Ed Burns (Any Given Sunday, Saving Private Ryan) star as two detectives on the trail of two killers who videotape their crimes.
DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by director John Herzfeld
DVD ROM Features
Deleted Scenes
Documentaries:"True Tabloid" and "Does Crime Really Pay?" documentaries.
Featurette:"Oleg's Video," actual video footage captured from actor Oleg Taktarov's perspective.
Interviews
Music Video:God Lives Underwater "Fame" Music Video
Theatrical Trailer
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Theatrical Release Information
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$9.98
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$9.99
