15 Minutes

[2001, Movie]

15 Minutes: Review

Writer/director John Herzfeld's sophomore movie is one long howl of rage over the relationship between criminals, journalists and thrill-hungry audiences. Unfortunately, it has no more to say about the cynical media than ACE IN THE HOLE (1951); about the cult of criminal celebrity than NATURAL BORN KILLERS (1994); or about sociopaths with cameras than HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER (1989). Eastern European low-lifes Emil Slovak (Karel Roden) and Oleg Razgul (Oleg Taktarov) are newly arrived in the U.S. and looking for Milos (Vladimir Mashkov), a criminal crony who double-crossed them back home and decamped for the land of opportunity. Milos and his wife quickly fall victim to Emil's lethal temper, while childish Oleg records all with a stolen digital video camera. Oleg and Emil then torch Milos's apartment in an attempt to conceal the murders, bringing together earnest arson investigator Jordy Warsaw (Ed Burns) and celebrated NYPD detective Eddie Flemming (Robert De Niro), who enjoys a cozy relationship with the media. For no apparent reason, Eddie takes Jordy under his wing and the two get to bonding. Meanwhile, Emil and Oleg are holed up in a dingy hotel, getting a daytime-TV crash course in the new American way: No one is responsible for anything. An insanity plea is a "Get Out of Jail Free" card. There's no route to fame so sordid as to invalidate the end result. Emil's plan to manipulate the American media and judicial system entangles Jordy, Eddie, frightened illegal immigrant Daphne (Vera Farmiga), tabloid TV whore Robert Hawkins (Kelsey Grammer), host of the lurid "Top Story," and a flock of underwritten secondary characters — notably Flemming's and Warsaw's partners (Avery Brooks, John DiResta), Hawkins's "Top Story" boss (Kim Cattrall) and Flemming's reporter fiancée (Melina Kanakaredes) — in one long paroxysm of disgust at our debased modern world. Kudos to Herzfeld for tackling big ideas, but this would be a more provocative cri de coeur if the ideas weren't just buzzing around like a swarm of enraged bees. --Maitland McDonagh