MOST WILL BE TICKED BY '15 MINUTES'.Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic Early in the sourly stupid new movie ``15 Minutes,'' a newly arrived Czech psycho exclaims, ``I love America! No one is responsible for what they do!'' He was referring to our nation's judicial system and penchant for spin-doctoring blame, but he could just as easily have been talking about filmmaking, judging from this cynical exercise in ``entertainment.'' ``15 Minutes'' is another in a long line of derisive de·ri·sive adj. Mocking; jeering. de·ri  sive·ly adv.de·ri , derivative movies that wallows in the very things it seeks to expose and condemn. The film masquerades as a hard look at the cult of celebrity The cult of celebrity is the widespread interest in arbitrarily famous individuals, or 'celebrities', that became a prominent social phenomenon in late 20th century Western popular culture. and our collective fascination with tragedy, but in its obviousness, it's little more than a grim gross-out, every bit as repulsive as the snuff video taken at one point in the film by the movie's criminals. Short-tempered Czech Emil (Karel Roden) and his simple-minded sidekick, Oleg (Oleg Taktarov Oleg Taktarov (born August 26 1967) is a Russian martial artist and actor. He is a practitioner of Sambo and Judo and has competed in mixed martial arts in the UFC and PRIDE. Taktarov last fought a professional MMA match in 1998. Taktarov's MMA record from 1995 to 1998 was 11-5-2. ), arrive in the States and, in short order, steal a video camera, visit an old criminal comrade from the homeland and commit a gruesomely violent double murder. To cover their tracks, they burn down the apartment. (Emil's father was a fireman, so fire is his ``friend.'') But they can't fool celebrity homicide detective Eddie Flemming (Robert De Niro Noun 1. Robert De Niro - United States film actor who frequently plays tough characters (born 1943) De Niro ), who arrives on the scene shortly before arson investigator Jordy Warsaw (Edward Burns
Everyone in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of seems to know Flemming, whose high-profile collars have attracted the interest of People magazine. The Euro boys are quick studies and figure that if they record enough murder and mayhem on tape, they can make a fortune in America where, as tabloid television Tabloid television is similar to tabloid newspapers. Tabloid television newscasts usually incorporate flashy graphics and sensationalistic stories, some with little or no local relevance. Often, there is a heavy emphasis on crime, stories with good video, and celebrity news. reporter Robert Hawkins For other people with the same name, see . Robert Hawkins (born May 29, 1879 at Buckland St. Mary, Somerset, England; died June 19, 1962) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. (Kelsey Grammer Allen Kelsey Grammer (born February 21, 1955) is a six-time Emmy and a two-time Golden Globe-winning American actor best known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. ) puts it, ``If it bleeds, it leads.'' And they sense that being pursued by the celebrated Flemming can only help them grab their 15 minutes of fame. ``15 Minutes'' does provide some lurid, fast-paced thrills for its first hour, thanks mainly to cinematographer Jean Yves Escoffier's kinetic camera work and the authenticity that De Niro brings to his celebrity cop. But after writer-director John Herzfeld (``2 Days in the Valley'') throws us a curveball twist at the film's halfway point, the movie loses its way in a series of predictable and preposterous developments. It all culminates in an ending that's so ludicrous that you'd laugh out loud if you hadn't spent the last couple of hours enduring a parade of vile images. With any luck, ``15 Minutes'' will defy Andy Warhol's prophecy and disappear without a trace. It's not worth a minute of your time. ``15 MINUTES'' (Rated R: brutal violence, nudity, language) The stars: Robert De Niro, Edward Burns and Kelsey Grammer. Behind the scenes: Written and directed by John Herzfeld. Released by New Line Cinema. Running time: Two hours. Playing: Citywide. Our rating: Two stars CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Edward Burns, left, and Robert De Niro star in ``15 Minutes.'' |
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