Reviews (108)

15 Minutes DVD is terrific cinema
This movie kicks ... It stars DeNiro as a homicide detective and Edward Burns (most notable for his portrayal of Brooklynite Private Reiben in "Saving Private Ryan") as an FDNY arson investigator, on the trail of two foreign hoods (1 Czech, 1 Russian), who come to NY to collect a debt. The Russian, played with a child-like brutality by wrestler Oleg Taktarov, gets a video cam, and decides to chronicle their "vacation." Veteran Czech actor Karel Roden plays his insanely (?) homicidal partner to the hilt.

The film is a commentary on our video-ized culture and beautifully unfolds the story of these two "immigrants" and their perceptions and misperceptions about American culture as they engage in their killing spree.

The biggest surprise is Vera Farmiga, who plays the enigmatic Czech girl Daphne Handlova, who witnesses the first murders, and becomes the focus of a race between the hoods and the cops as to who can get to her first. Farmiga has magical looks (those luminous eyes!), with a face that could have easily launched 1000 ships in another context. Her riveting presence steals every scene she is in. Vera Farmiga is a new talent with the promise of becoming a major actress in this new century. To see her scenes is sufficient reason by itself to buy this DVD.

The DVD is rich with detail, and has an excellent director's commentary. Director John Herzfeld took a few major risks in his conception of the film, and the result is an action film of the highest caliber, incorporating the frenetic hand-held video footage into this non-stop New York City action thriller.

Robert DeNiro shows his superstar quality and career courage by magnificently portraying the character of Detective Eddie Fleming. -- the idea of a major box-office-drawing actor going for a part where his character is killed in Act 2 shows his star power. (His death was very much an essential part of the plot development.) The gritty scene where, tied up, he understands his closeness to death and has a "loogie" duel with the Czech hood is a truly amazing cinematic moment.

This is a truly great movie. Buy it! The performances of De Niro, Farmiga and Burns by themselves are a total joy to watch.

It Actually Did Work
I got passes to a screning of this film. Waiting in line some of the other folks and I discussed the violence of the video games in the lobby in that polite, well mannered, educated liberal manner. Then we settled in to watch the movie, and got to the climax scene where the good guy punches out the villian. You could literally watch the same group of well educated, properly opinioned liberals sit there, with there hands held out in front of them, perplexed. We knew we were supposed to clap, but then again Kelsey Grammers' character would have tugged at our emotions in the same way to elicit the same response. As such we were left as an impass as to what the correct behavior was, our gut saying clap and our brains saying don't. That is the sheer brillance of this movie--it doesn't say what to think, it just says think.
This movie is very bloody--to the exent that some people wil not want to watch it. If you have a weak stomach turn it off. However, that can be points in its favor. I was particualrly happy in the scene with the blond prostitute. She was the sort of character that only enters the scene to get killed by the bad guys, but she actually fights back. The scene is bloody and everything, but she didn't just lie there and wait for them to finish her off like so many other horror film women.
The best thing about this film is that every single second is dedicated to forwarding the plot. There is no extraneous speeches to forward the theme or create the characters--it is very nice to have a film that doesn't assume that we are stupid. There is some very good dramatic tension and some wonderful twists as characters are tested and changed. That being said this isn't an Oscar film. It is a popcorn film, a fairly straight forward action film. It is, however, refreshingly, an action film that lets you think.

FAME AND ITS FORTUNES
You see it in the tabloid tv shows such as Roseanne, Maury Povich, you name them. As in this film, a family humiliates themselves in front of millions all for that fifteen minutes of fame; singers appear on American Idol and disappear into the mediocrity of their fame, having had that 15 minutes. In this movie, a tv anchorman sinks to new depths to acquire a disgusting videotape of a cop's murder, not realizing that by letting the villains get away, he endorses further murders. All in the name of fame.
We all know that the media has little conscience in its attempts to one up each other, to get the "big story" first; to spread lies and rumors. In this movie, a petty thief who attempts to rob one of the characters is suddenly a hero because the arson investigator handcuffed him to a tree and forgot about him. The "victim" was assaulted by a bag lady and pissed on by a dog, and now he's a hero in the light of the media. Everything that's done is done to manage the impression of what the world thinks of us.
This message is brought home in expert fashion in John Herzfeld's compelling 15 MINUTES.
Robert DeNiro plays a homicide detective who has used the media to its best advantage, and he knows it; Edward Burns is an idealistic young arson investigator who joins in on the investigation of the brutal murder of an immigrant couple; Kelsey Grammer is the acerbic and selfish newscaster; Melina Kanakaredes is the love of DeNiro's life, a news journalist who fears for DeNiro's safety. Capable and strong performances from these actors lay the background for the movie's two most impressive performances: Karel Roden and Oleg Taktarov as the criminals Emil and Oleg; their cold cruelty is frightening; Oleg's fascination with film-making is both comedic and tragic, and the resonance of their performances underscores the other actor's performances as well.
There may be inconsistencies in the plot; there may be some derivative touches, but I found myself glued to the screen and awed by the message this powerful movie sends.

Stays With You For About 15 Minutes
An uneven attempt at social commentary, this John Herzfeld movie has its clever moments but doesn`t quite convince as a whole.

"15 Minutes" tries to give a satirical look into the complex and not always pretty world of media business, showcasing how far journalists and media owners will go in order to get "relevant" information. Yes, in this day and age it`s difficult to qualify what`s information or just useless overexpure of viloence, drama and outrageous acts.
Today`s star-system is also hard to define, since those who are famous don`t always have much merit or special qualities that allow them to reach fame. Yes, even a murderer can turn into a superstar these days. This movie manages to analyse some of these ideas, but the mix of its elements is too contrived. At parts this seems a serious and in-depth story, in other scenes it turns into a middle-of-the-road action-movie and in a couple of times it approaches comedy territory.

The two villains are stereotypical and one-dimensional, being mean and gruesome just because the plot wants them to. Robert DeNiro and Edward Burns are fine in their roles, even if their characters break no new ground and instead stick to cliched archetypes. The direction is fluid and interesting, yet the pacing is full of highs and lows.
"15 Minutes" is an hit-and-miss effort, an entertaining enough cinematic experience that could have gone further if it dared to step into more risky zones. As it is, it still deserves its 15 minutes of fame but is far from remarkable.

Flawed but watchable.

Wildly Uneven
3 stars may be a bit harsh for a movie with one of the most unsettling scenes I've seen, but the problem with the film is that it never becomes a whole. There's a conflict of tone that's never successfully resolved--director John Herzfeld wants to make a dark comedy full of satire aimed at Jerry Springer, Geraldo Rivera and the like; but he also wants to make a grisly, gritty action film filled with blood, murder, fire, and tragedy. These two aspects rub against one another uncomfortably, and although life may indeed be like that, the juxtaposition doesn't work well in this bit of art.

The dichotomy plagues the work further: there is terrific imagery, some great acting, some terrific writing; there's also lots of very typical Hollywood run-of-the-mill work. De Niro, as one of the two protagonists, is superb until the writers feel it necessarly to give him a girlfriend. The other protagonist, played by Edward Burns, is the stereotypical young hothead, who in spite of being an ace fire inspector, can't control himself around other people. I must admit that the two villains are both terrific, in terms of both writing and acting; but a bit of clowning at the end really destroyed the effect of the final scene for me.

If you do decide to see the movie--and in spite of my negative comments, the positive aspects of the film (especially the scene with De Niro and the two villians) make it worth viewing, be sure to stay tuned after the credits begin--Kelsey Grammer has a final bit that begins a minute or so into the credits. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

my review
chocolate-filled donuts, just chocolate-filled donuts

One of my favorite episodes!
ABRA CADAVER is one of my favorite episodes of Tales from the Crypt. It's about this evil mortuarian. Buy It! END

Genius!!!!!!!
TALES FROM THE CRYPT IS AN EXCELLENT SHOW. IT IS MY FAVORITE SHOW EVER. THE THREE EPISODES ON THIS COLLECTION TAPE ARE NOT AS GOOD AS OTHER EPISODES , BUT ARE STILL WELL WORTH WATCHING. END ... Read more

Amazon.com

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 ... Read more

Reviews (108)

15 Minutes DVD is terrific cinema
This movie kicks ... It stars DeNiro as a homicide detective and Edward Burns (most notable for his portrayal of Brooklynite Private Reiben in "Saving Private Ryan") as an FDNY arson investigator, on the trail of two foreign hoods (1 Czech, 1 Russian), who come to NY to collect a debt. The Russian, played with a child-like brutality by wrestler Oleg Taktarov, gets a video cam, and decides to chronicle their "vacation." Veteran Czech actor Karel Roden plays his insanely (?) homicidal partner to the hilt.

The film is a commentary on our video-ized culture and beautifully unfolds the story of these two "immigrants" and their perceptions and misperceptions about American culture as they engage in their killing spree.

The biggest surprise is Vera Farmiga, who plays the enigmatic Czech girl Daphne Handlova, who witnesses the first murders, and becomes the focus of a race between the hoods and the cops as to who can get to her first. Farmiga has magical looks (those luminous eyes!), with a face that could have easily launched 1000 ships in another context. Her riveting presence steals every scene she is in. Vera Farmiga is a new talent with the promise of becoming a major actress in this new century. To see her scenes is sufficient reason by itself to buy this DVD.

The DVD is rich with detail, and has an excellent director's commentary. Director John Herzfeld took a few major risks in his conception of the film, and the result is an action film of the highest caliber, incorporating the frenetic hand-held video footage into this non-stop New York City action thriller.

Robert DeNiro shows his superstar quality and career courage by magnificently portraying the character of Detective Eddie Fleming. -- the idea of a major box-office-drawing actor going for a part where his character is killed in Act 2 shows his star power. (His death was very much an essential part of the plot development.) The gritty scene where, tied up, he understands his closeness to death and has a "loogie" duel with the Czech hood is a truly amazing cinematic moment.

This is a truly great movie. Buy it! The performances of De Niro, Farmiga and Burns by themselves are a total joy to watch.

It Actually Did Work
I got passes to a screning of this film. Waiting in line some of the other folks and I discussed the violence of the video games in the lobby in that polite, well mannered, educated liberal manner. Then we settled in to watch the movie, and got to the climax scene where the good guy punches out the villian. You could literally watch the same group of well educated, properly opinioned liberals sit there, with there hands held out in front of them, perplexed. We knew we were supposed to clap, but then again Kelsey Grammers' character would have tugged at our emotions in the same way to elicit the same response. As such we were left as an impass as to what the correct behavior was, our gut saying clap and our brains saying don't. That is the sheer brillance of this movie--it doesn't say what to think, it just says think.
This movie is very bloody--to the exent that some people wil not want to watch it. If you have a weak stomach turn it off. However, that can be points in its favor. I was particualrly happy in the scene with the blond prostitute. She was the sort of character that only enters the scene to get killed by the bad guys, but she actually fights back. The scene is bloody and everything, but she didn't just lie there and wait for them to finish her off like so many other horror film women.
The best thing about this film is that every single second is dedicated to forwarding the plot. There is no extraneous speeches to forward the theme or create the characters--it is very nice to have a film that doesn't assume that we are stupid. There is some very good dramatic tension and some wonderful twists as characters are tested and changed. That being said this isn't an Oscar film. It is a popcorn film, a fairly straight forward action film. It is, however, refreshingly, an action film that lets you think.

FAME AND ITS FORTUNES
You see it in the tabloid tv shows such as Roseanne, Maury Povich, you name them. As in this film, a family humiliates themselves in front of millions all for that fifteen minutes of fame; singers appear on American Idol and disappear into the mediocrity of their fame, having had that 15 minutes. In this movie, a tv anchorman sinks to new depths to acquire a disgusting videotape of a cop's murder, not realizing that by letting the villains get away, he endorses further murders. All in the name of fame.
We all know that the media has little conscience in its attempts to one up each other, to get the "big story" first; to spread lies and rumors. In this movie, a petty thief who attempts to rob one of the characters is suddenly a hero because the arson investigator handcuffed him to a tree and forgot about him. The "victim" was assaulted by a bag lady and pissed on by a dog, and now he's a hero in the light of the media. Everything that's done is done to manage the impression of what the world thinks of us.
This message is brought home in expert fashion in John Herzfeld's compelling 15 MINUTES.
Robert DeNiro plays a homicide detective who has used the media to its best advantage, and he knows it; Edward Burns is an idealistic young arson investigator who joins in on the investigation of the brutal murder of an immigrant couple; Kelsey Grammer is the acerbic and selfish newscaster; Melina Kanakaredes is the love of DeNiro's life, a news journalist who fears for DeNiro's safety. Capable and strong performances from these actors lay the background for the movie's two most impressive performances: Karel Roden and Oleg Taktarov as the criminals Emil and Oleg; their cold cruelty is frightening; Oleg's fascination with film-making is both comedic and tragic, and the resonance of their performances underscores the other actor's performances as well.
There may be inconsistencies in the plot; there may be some derivative touches, but I found myself glued to the screen and awed by the message this powerful movie sends.

Stays With You For About 15 Minutes
An uneven attempt at social commentary, this John Herzfeld movie has its clever moments but doesn`t quite convince as a whole.

"15 Minutes" tries to give a satirical look into the complex and not always pretty world of media business, showcasing how far journalists and media owners will go in order to get "relevant" information. Yes, in this day and age it`s difficult to qualify what`s information or just useless overexpure of viloence, drama and outrageous acts.
Today`s star-system is also hard to define, since those who are famous don`t always have much merit or special qualities that allow them to reach fame. Yes, even a murderer can turn into a superstar these days. This movie manages to analyse some of these ideas, but the mix of its elements is too contrived. At parts this seems a serious and in-depth story, in other scenes it turns into a middle-of-the-road action-movie and in a couple of times it approaches comedy territory.

The two villains are stereotypical and one-dimensional, being mean and gruesome just because the plot wants them to. Robert DeNiro and Edward Burns are fine in their roles, even if their characters break no new ground and instead stick to cliched archetypes. The direction is fluid and interesting, yet the pacing is full of highs and lows.
"15 Minutes" is an hit-and-miss effort, an entertaining enough cinematic experience that could have gone further if it dared to step into more risky zones. As it is, it still deserves its 15 minutes of fame but is far from remarkable.

Flawed but watchable.

Wildly Uneven
3 stars may be a bit harsh for a movie with one of the most unsettling scenes I've seen, but the problem with the film is that it never becomes a whole. There's a conflict of tone that's never successfully resolved--director John Herzfeld wants to make a dark comedy full of satire aimed at Jerry Springer, Geraldo Rivera and the like; but he also wants to make a grisly, gritty action film filled with blood, murder, fire, and tragedy. These two aspects rub against one another uncomfortably, and although life may indeed be like that, the juxtaposition doesn't work well in this bit of art.

The dichotomy plagues the work further: there is terrific imagery, some great acting, some terrific writing; there's also lots of very typical Hollywood run-of-the-mill work. De Niro, as one of the two protagonists, is superb until the writers feel it necessarly to give him a girlfriend. The other protagonist, played by Edward Burns, is the stereotypical young hothead, who in spite of being an ace fire inspector, can't control himself around other people. I must admit that the two villains are both terrific, in terms of both writing and acting; but a bit of clowning at the end really destroyed the effect of the final scene for me.

If you do decide to see the movie--and in spite of my negative comments, the positive aspects of the film (especially the scene with De Niro and the two villians) make it worth viewing, be sure to stay tuned after the credits begin--Kelsey Grammer has a final bit that begins a minute or so into the credits. ... Read more

Reviews (108)

15 Minutes DVD is terrific cinema
This movie kicks ... It stars DeNiro as a homicide detective and Edward Burns (most notable for his portrayal of Brooklynite Private Reiben in "Saving Private Ryan") as an FDNY arson investigator, on the trail of two foreign hoods (1 Czech, 1 Russian), who come to NY to collect a debt. The Russian, played with a child-like brutality by wrestler Oleg Taktarov, gets a video cam, and decides to chronicle their "vacation." Veteran Czech actor Karel Roden plays his insanely (?) homicidal partner to the hilt.

The film is a commentary on our video-ized culture and beautifully unfolds the story of these two "immigrants" and their perceptions and misperceptions about American culture as they engage in their killing spree.

The biggest surprise is Vera Farmiga, who plays the enigmatic Czech girl Daphne Handlova, who witnesses the first murders, and becomes the focus of a race between the hoods and the cops as to who can get to her first. Farmiga has magical looks (those luminous eyes!), with a face that could have easily launched 1000 ships in another context. Her riveting presence steals every scene she is in. Vera Farmiga is a new talent with the promise of becoming a major actress in this new century. To see her scenes is sufficient reason by itself to buy this DVD.

The DVD is rich with detail, and has an excellent director's commentary. Director John Herzfeld took a few major risks in his conception of the film, and the result is an action film of the highest caliber, incorporating the frenetic hand-held video footage into this non-stop New York City action thriller.

Robert DeNiro shows his superstar quality and career courage by magnificently portraying the character of Detective Eddie Fleming. -- the idea of a major box-office-drawing actor going for a part where his character is killed in Act 2 shows his star power. (His death was very much an essential part of the plot development.) The gritty scene where, tied up, he understands his closeness to death and has a "loogie" duel with the Czech hood is a truly amazing cinematic moment.

This is a truly great movie. Buy it! The performances of De Niro, Farmiga and Burns by themselves are a total joy to watch.

It Actually Did Work
I got passes to a screning of this film. Waiting in line some of the other folks and I discussed the violence of the video games in the lobby in that polite, well mannered, educated liberal manner. Then we settled in to watch the movie, and got to the climax scene where the good guy punches out the villian. You could literally watch the same group of well educated, properly opinioned liberals sit there, with there hands held out in front of them, perplexed. We knew we were supposed to clap, but then again Kelsey Grammers' character would have tugged at our emotions in the same way to elicit the same response. As such we were left as an impass as to what the correct behavior was, our gut saying clap and our brains saying don't. That is the sheer brillance of this movie--it doesn't say what to think, it just says think.
This movie is very bloody--to the exent that some people wil not want to watch it. If you have a weak stomach turn it off. However, that can be points in its favor. I was particualrly happy in the scene with the blond prostitute. She was the sort of character that only enters the scene to get killed by the bad guys, but she actually fights back. The scene is bloody and everything, but she didn't just lie there and wait for them to finish her off like so many other horror film women.
The best thing about this film is that every single second is dedicated to forwarding the plot. There is no extraneous speeches to forward the theme or create the characters--it is very nice to have a film that doesn't assume that we are stupid. There is some very good dramatic tension and some wonderful twists as characters are tested and changed. That being said this isn't an Oscar film. It is a popcorn film, a fairly straight forward action film. It is, however, refreshingly, an action film that lets you think.

FAME AND ITS FORTUNES
You see it in the tabloid tv shows such as Roseanne, Maury Povich, you name them. As in this film, a family humiliates themselves in front of millions all for that fifteen minutes of fame; singers appear on American Idol and disappear into the mediocrity of their fame, having had that 15 minutes. In this movie, a tv anchorman sinks to new depths to acquire a disgusting videotape of a cop's murder, not realizing that by letting the villains get away, he endorses further murders. All in the name of fame.
We all know that the media has little conscience in its attempts to one up each other, to get the "big story" first; to spread lies and rumors. In this movie, a petty thief who attempts to rob one of the characters is suddenly a hero because the arson investigator handcuffed him to a tree and forgot about him. The "victim" was assaulted by a bag lady and pissed on by a dog, and now he's a hero in the light of the media. Everything that's done is done to manage the impression of what the world thinks of us.
This message is brought home in expert fashion in John Herzfeld's compelling 15 MINUTES.
Robert DeNiro plays a homicide detective who has used the media to its best advantage, and he knows it; Edward Burns is an idealistic young arson investigator who joins in on the investigation of the brutal murder of an immigrant couple; Kelsey Grammer is the acerbic and selfish newscaster; Melina Kanakaredes is the love of DeNiro's life, a news journalist who fears for DeNiro's safety. Capable and strong performances from these actors lay the background for the movie's two most impressive performances: Karel Roden and Oleg Taktarov as the criminals Emil and Oleg; their cold cruelty is frightening; Oleg's fascination with film-making is both comedic and tragic, and the resonance of their performances underscores the other actor's performances as well.
There may be inconsistencies in the plot; there may be some derivative touches, but I found myself glued to the screen and awed by the message this powerful movie sends.

Stays With You For About 15 Minutes
An uneven attempt at social commentary, this John Herzfeld movie has its clever moments but doesn`t quite convince as a whole.

"15 Minutes" tries to give a satirical look into the complex and not always pretty world of media business, showcasing how far journalists and media owners will go in order to get "relevant" information. Yes, in this day and age it`s difficult to qualify what`s information or just useless overexpure of viloence, drama and outrageous acts.
Today`s star-system is also hard to define, since those who are famous don`t always have much merit or special qualities that allow them to reach fame. Yes, even a murderer can turn into a superstar these days. This movie manages to analyse some of these ideas, but the mix of its elements is too contrived. At parts this seems a serious and in-depth story, in other scenes it turns into a middle-of-the-road action-movie and in a couple of times it approaches comedy territory.

The two villains are stereotypical and one-dimensional, being mean and gruesome just because the plot wants them to. Robert DeNiro and Edward Burns are fine in their roles, even if their characters break no new ground and instead stick to cliched archetypes. The direction is fluid and interesting, yet the pacing is full of highs and lows.
"15 Minutes" is an hit-and-miss effort, an entertaining enough cinematic experience that could have gone further if it dared to step into more risky zones. As it is, it still deserves its 15 minutes of fame but is far from remarkable.

Flawed but watchable.

Wildly Uneven
3 stars may be a bit harsh for a movie with one of the most unsettling scenes I've seen, but the problem with the film is that it never becomes a whole. There's a conflict of tone that's never successfully resolved--director John Herzfeld wants to make a dark comedy full of satire aimed at Jerry Springer, Geraldo Rivera and the like; but he also wants to make a grisly, gritty action film filled with blood, murder, fire, and tragedy. These two aspects rub against one another uncomfortably, and although life may indeed be like that, the juxtaposition doesn't work well in this bit of art.

The dichotomy plagues the work further: there is terrific imagery, some great acting, some terrific writing; there's also lots of very typical Hollywood run-of-the-mill work. De Niro, as one of the two protagonists, is superb until the writers feel it necessarly to give him a girlfriend. The other protagonist, played by Edward Burns, is the stereotypical young hothead, who in spite of being an ace fire inspector, can't control himself around other people. I must admit that the two villains are both terrific, in terms of both writing and acting; but a bit of clowning at the end really destroyed the effect of the final scene for me.

If you do decide to see the movie--and in spite of my negative comments, the positive aspects of the film (especially the scene with De Niro and the two villians) make it worth viewing, be sure to stay tuned after the credits begin--Kelsey Grammer has a final bit that begins a minute or so into the credits. ... Read more

Description

" On a morning in August 1986 the body of Jennifer Levin young,attractive and rich was discovered in New York's Central Park.Shortly afterwards,police arrested Robert Chambers for the crime.The tabloid press descended on the casein force, drawn to the irresistible mix of sex, violent death, attractive people andprivileged youth.It was quickly dubbed the PREPPIE MURDER. AMERICANJUSTICE opens the files to take another look at this sensational case that offers adisturbing look at the dark underbelly of wealth and privilege.Meet people who knewthe killer and his victim, and hear stories of the clique that gathered at the Upper EastSide hangout called Dorrian's Red Hand.Revisit the unusual trial, where the defenseessentially put the victim on trial and the checkered past of the defendant which involvedburglaries and a long history of drug use was kept from the jurors.Testimony frompolice and attorneys highlights the crucial points in the case, and the family of the victimspeaks out in a rare interview." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Daming Evidence
WhAT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND IS HOW COME THERE WERE SO MUCH DAMING EVIDENCE TO CONVICT ROBERT CHAMBERS OF MURDER AND HE STILL GOT THE CHANCE TO PLEAD GUILTY TO A LESSER CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER. STRANGULATION IS A RESULT OF CONTINOUS PRESSURE, SO HOW COULD IT BE AN ACCIDENT?. WAS THE JURY STUPID OR WHAT? I REMEMBER A JUROR SAYING THERE WASEN'T A CLEAR CUT PATH TO SHOW MURDER. WHAT MORE DID THEY WANT? BRUISING ALL OVER JENNIFER LEVIN'S BODY, STRANGULATION MARKS, PROVING SHE WAS BEATED AND STRANGLED. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

easily, one of the best performances,best films,don't resist
it's been a long time, since i've bothered to write a review, seems these days, movies are all so, normal, nothing unique about them, it's sad really, this film, is unique, I relate this film to scarface, as well as blowing me away, ving rhames, makes you believe he is the great don himself, he took on the mob, and he lived, and he killed a man, and beat it, then he killed another, and he got misdeamanor, the man is a icon, one of the greatest showboats, to have ever lived, he's also very intelligent, and it's true, he shouldn't have got such a bad rep, but baby, that sells, violence, sex, crime, it all sells,the media, you know, this film is a 100 stars, if you don't see this, then I pity you, if you say this movie is ..., like reviewer number one, then your an ..., this film is brilliant, a masterpiece, this film is also almost out of print, obviously, like divinci, a true artist, isn't respected till he is gone, wan't a real world example? look at tupac shakur, when don is gone, no one will ever be like him again, so relish, his kinglyness, and buy this video, before it is, to late.

A Very Crap Film
Oh my God!!! Do not waste your time watching this awful movie with which has an even more awful cast...I think that one star is really pushing it as the film was so bad that I switched it off less than half way through. I am a great boxing fan and would normally love to watch any movie, BUT, I draw the line when the movie is so bad that you actually wish that you hadn't wasted your time watching it and would rather go to the denstist and have all your teeth removed with the use of acid (and that is without painkillers)... An awful movie that is not even worth a star - I just wish that it could be given a minus number it is honestly that bad!!!

I wish I could give this movie 10 stars.
I have never seen a movie where the main character was portrayed with this kind of realism. I thought it actually WAS Don King the first time I saw this movie. Ving Rhames should have won Oscars, Emmys, and every kind of conceivable award for his portrayal of Don King. I mean he even has the voice inflections and mannerisms of Don King down to such a science it is unreal. I have never seen an actor portray anyone that well. I wish I could give this movie 10 stars. Ving Rhames IS Don King, from beginning to end. The man should have won an Oscar and an Emmy. I can't emphasize ENOUGH how well Ving Rhames plays Don King. I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this movie.

Ving Rhames IS Don King
Only in America could a small time numbers runner-con man from Cleaveland make it from a prison cell to being the most powerful man in the richest of sports...Don King is simply put the greatest promoter of all time and even in his seventies the man just flat out controls most of the strings of the sport. Ving Rhames becomes the character as we follow his trials and tribulations, and in a cool piece of screenplay, Don talks to the audience and himself explains what is going on in his life as he makes his way to the top, mowing away all opposition especially Bob Arum. Things still havent changed as he promotes most of the top players in boxing today, and will do so until he dies, if the man is not immortal.

A GREAT FILM
Ving Rhames should have gotten every award in 97 for this Gem.He was DON KING&that isn't easy.DOn King is One OF Sports Most Interesting People Ever.He was Marketing Product Long Before People had a Term for it.He Understood what worked for whomever was His Fighter at the Moment was.He said it best if their wasn't a Him they Hollywood would have too Create One.Love Him or Loath Him You Have Too Acknowledge His Impact on Society.Just the Electric Chair Hair Alone.The FIlm had a Solid Cast Very Well Done. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

"You have one minute to decide the rest of your life..."
I found this film to be absolutely fantastic! The story was interesting, the cast was intriguing and the humor/sarcasm was witty and unique. I found myself laughing at times just because of the characters' interesting behaviors.

The film begins with a murder-for-hire. Eventually, the hit men and a wide range of other characters come together through coincidence and circumstance and are forced to resolve their issues while trying to escape from San Fernando Valley, California.

The storyline of this film is a bit crazy, but the characters invloved are all excellent and hold the viewer's attention. James Spader is particularly good as Lee, a cold-blooded murderer who is obsessed with time, especially the importance of a single minute. This is definitely one of his best films. His acting in this movie is creepy, but fantastic. The rest of the cast was also really great and it was enjoyable to watch their lives play out. Another positive aspect of the film was the terrific score...I can't get some of the songs out of my head!

Overall, this was a fantasic film and I highly recommend it to anyone who is in the mood to watch something that is really fun and hearwarming. It is definitely a must for fans of James Spader, but I think that it can be enjoyed by a wide audience. Give this film a try and I guarantee that you will enjoy it!

Two Days in the Valley
This is a really good movie, with an unbelievable cast and a brilliant plot! The music soundtrack is also very good, and there is not a bad scene in the movie! I just can't understand why nobody has seen this film! Here we have a variety of bizarre characters (highlights were Danny Aiello, James Spader, Charlize Theron, and Jeff Daniels) who stumble into each other's lives. The director threw in a lot of little interesting quirks, such as the murderous assassin smirking as he watches a cop sight down the barrel of a watergun, or a spiteful old man who we came to hate earlier slinking out of a Japanese pleasure house in the dead of night. (Another interesting thing for me about the movie is to watch for the manner in which every character's name is given as the plot unfolds. ALL of them are named at least once somewhere in the film!) The movie is very well written and very interesting, and if there is any problem whatsoever, it would have to be that at times the dialogue becomes a bit laborous and unrealistic. (Sometimes, it appears that the characters are explaining what's going on to the audience, rather than conversing with the other characters.) Nevertheless, this is a trite point, and distracts none at all from the movie's enjoyment. And although Two Days in the Valley has been called a "Tarantino rip-off", I think this is because, like in many Tarantino films, we get to see famous actors playing in roles that we are not accustomed to seeing them in.

WHERE IS MY WATCH ?
I still wonder what was the purpose of John Herzfeld when he filmed TWO DAYS IN THE VALLEY. The structure of the movie isn't revolutionary, so the plot should give us an answer to this question.

Well...I still wonder, did I say ! It could be :

- Everybody changes his mind so don't take anything for granted.

- One minute of your time can modify your life (but we know that already, don't we ?).

- Don't get married if you're an ice skater !

And so on. You've understood that the screenplay isn't the main interest of this movie neither.

Happily enough, the cast is great and brings very funny and enjoyable moments, I must admit it.

A DVD zone I should have rent it instead of buying it.

This film is a classic because...
No matter what scene you come in on, you'll say to your friends, "Look, this is a really good part,"and you'll all sit there till the end. I always figured Charlize Theron was sleeping with the costume designer because she was a new-comer, while Teri Hatcher was an established star. Yet, in every scene, Teri is sweating, in sweats, and Charlize is wearing this white body stocking(or not)that looks like it's more make-up than clothing. Their fight scene is my favorite. Spader gives everyone 60 seconds, Aiello cooks, Jeff Daniels steams and Eric Stoltz finds a clue and meets a charming young lady. You'll recognize almost everyone in this "all stories converge" masterpiece.

Most fun I've had with a cult classic in a long time. . .
'2 Days in the Valley' is NOT one of those movies where you're rolling around on the floor laughing, but you will most likely find yourself feeling and cheering for this bunch of characters played out by an AWSOME and well-cast cast. Charlize Theron in particular (who has got to be one of the most beautiful women on Earth) will leave you thinking about her long after the movie is over. She and Terri Hathcer's (who does the best acting job here she has ever done) cat fight toword the end is the highlight of the movie by far. If you like quirky characters, cute gogs, unbelievably gorgeous women who can fight, and even coldblooded killers, you will surely enjoy this movie.

if you are one of those people who only like these big, epic movies (re: Titanic, Lord of the Rings, Braveheart) then avoid '2 Days in the Valley' . . . it's not for everyone :D ... Read more