15 Minutes
15 Minutes

15 Minutes

2001Movie120 minEnglish

When Eastern European criminals Oleg and Emil come to New York City to pick up their share of a heist score, Oleg steals a video camera and starts filming their activities, both legal and illegal. When they learn how the American media circus can make a remorseless killer look like the victim and make them rich, they target media-savvy NYPD Homicide Detective Eddie Flemming and media-naive FDNY Fire Marshal Jordy Warsaw, the cops investigating their murder and torching of their former criminal partner, filming everything to sell to the local tabloid TV show "Top Story."

Read Reviews

Insights

IMDb5.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes38%
Metacritic44/100
Google Users62%
Director: John HerzfeldGenres: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Plot Summary

A burnt-out detective and a driven young detective partner up to investigate a series of murders linked to a controversial Serbian immigrant who is exploiting the media's hunger for sensationalism. The killer is meticulously orchestrating his crimes to gain fame and attention, turning a criminal investigation into a media circus. As the body count rises, the two detectives race against time and public perception to catch the killer before he strikes again.

Critical Reception

John Herzfeld's "15 Minutes" was met with a generally unenthusiastic response from critics, who found its ambitious premise often undermined by a convoluted plot and uneven execution. While some acknowledged the film's timely commentary on media sensationalism and celebrity culture, many felt it failed to deliver a compelling narrative or fully developed characters. Audience reception was similarly lukewarm, with its dark themes and complex storyline not resonating widely.

What Reviewers Say

  • The film attempts a timely critique of media obsession but gets lost in its own complex narrative.
  • While some performances are strong, the plotting is often convoluted and unsatisfying.
  • Offers a thought-provoking premise that is ultimately underdeveloped.

Google audience: Google users found the film to be an interesting, albeit flawed, exploration of media manipulation and crime. While many appreciated the concept and the performances of the star-studded cast, a significant portion felt the story was too convoluted and lacked a strong, cohesive direction. The film's dark tone and moral ambiguity were also points of contention for some.

Fun Fact

The film's director, John Herzfeld, also wrote the screenplay and directed all of the film's promotional material, including its trailers.

AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources

My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
Andre Gonzales

Andre Gonzales

Liked the movie. Lots of suspense and keeping you guessing.