Reviewed by Stuart O'Connor
Stars Al Pacino and a bad wig, Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski,
Amy Brenneman, William Forsythe, Deborah Kara Unger,
Benjamin McKenzie, Neal McDonough
Written by Gary Scott Thompson
Certification UK 15 | US R
Runtime 108 minutes
Directed by Jon Avnet
How did filmmakers cope before the invention of the mobile phone? How many films now have their plot driven, and subsumed, by the mobile phone? Tedious thriller 88 Minutes is another one of those films.
Forensic psychiatrist Jack Gramm (Pacino is lecturing his university class one day when he takes a call on his mobile, informing him that he has just 88 minutes to live. It seems the good doc was instrumental in puttiong away a nasty serial killer, the cleverly-named Seattle Slayer, 10 years before, and as his exdecution day approaches, someone has started copycat killing — and Gramm appears to be the next victim. But who is the new killer? The candidates and red herrings line up, as do the cliches. The average audience member will work out whodunnit in the first half hour, then spend the rest of the running time (which goes 20 minutes past the title) wondering why it's taking Pacino so long to work it out
The performances appear to be phoned in (on mobiles?) all round, while the direction from Avnet (also responsible for the recent dud Righteous Kill) is plodding at best. Pacino appears to still be working on his retirement fund by doing another one just for the money. Although it's not a comedy, there was a lot of laughter at the press screening I attended — critics laughing at just how bad this film is. And seeing as it's been sitting on the shelf since it was made two years ago — it was released straght to DVD in Brazil, Norway, Russia, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Finland and Hungary in 2007 — the question is, why subject unsuspecting cinemagoers to it now? Is the Warner Bros larder really that bare that an untrhilling thriller is all they've got? Do yourselves a favour and give this one a miss. And if Hollywood directors can do us ALL a favour and give mobile phones a miss for a while, I'd be truly grateful.