Cast: Robert De Niro, Edward Burns, Vera Farmiga, Kelsey Grammer, Melina Kanakaredes, Avery Brooks, Oleg Taktarov, Karel Roden
Director: John Herzfeld
Producers: Keith Addis, David Blocker, John Herzfeld, Nick Wechsler
Screenplay: John Herzfeld
Cinematography: Jean-Yves Escoffier
Music: Anthony Marinelli, J. Peter Robinson
U.S. Distributor: New Line Cinema
Thematically, John Herzfeld's Fifteen Minutes has nothing new to offer. Its various elements of social commentary - about the power of the media; the country's love of violent, lurid, "real-life" TV fare; and the cult of stardom - have all been tackled before. Network, To Die For, and Man Bites Dog are only a few of the titles to have preceded Fifteen Minutes down this path. Yet, despite its occasional lapses, the movie still works - primarily because it has the audacity to do the unexpected. Some of the concepts may be recycled, but there's something fresh and ambitious about the way they are presented. Best of all, Fifteen Minutes manages to develop some genuine tension, especially during the closing sequence, by which time we're convinced that anything can happen.
Robert De Niro plays Eddie Flemming, a New York City homicide detective (undoubtedly a big stretch for the actor). Not only is Eddie a good cop, but he's also well-liked, especially by the media. He always seems to have a statement or a scoop for the cameras, and his accessibility has made him a local celebrity. Plus, he's good friends with Robert Hawkins (Kelsey Grammer), the host of the TV tabloid show "Top Story" and is involved in a serious relationship with a newswoman (Melina Kanakaredes). Eddie's latest case brings him onto the turf of fireman Jordy Warsaw (Edward Burns), who is investigating a fire that was used to cover up a double murder. Together, Eddie and Jordy begin to piece together the puzzle, which leads them to an odd-couple of Eastern European immigrants, Oleg (Oleg Taktarov) and Emil (Karel Roden), who are killing people and making home movies of their acts. Their ultimate goal is to elminate someone famous, plead temporary insanity, then make a ton of money by selling the video tape and book rights to their story. And Eddie becomes their choice for a victim.
Admittedly, Fifteen Minutes works better as a thriller than as a social commentary. And there are some credibility issues. For example, what's the likelihood of a fireman and a cop pairing up on what is obviously a criminal investigation? And how probable is it that the chain of circumstances necessary for the ending would occur? These are actually nit-picks, however; the movie is enjoyable enough to rise above its shortcomings. While some of the subplots seem a little superfluous as a result of half-hearted development (such as Jordy's infatuation with a witness), the main storyline keeps us engaged.
Eddie is nicely realized by De Niro. This is basically the legendary actor in full cop mode, albeit with fewer jagged edges and an occasional hint of humor. There are times when Fifteen Minutes wanders into the realm of blatant satire, but, after outings in the likes of Analyze This and Meet the Parents, De Niro seems at home with the shifting tone. Oddly enough, his best scene is a low-key, somewhat tender moment, as he gets ready to propose to his girlfriend - writing a note and setting it next to the ring. It's poignant and touching.
I wish I could heap the same praise upon Edward Burns, but the sometimes-actor/sometimes-director is merely adequate - no more, no less. In supporting roles, both Kelsey Grammer and Avery Brooks (both of whom are veterans of long-running TV shows - Grammer of "Cheers" and "Frasier" and Brooks of "Spencer for Hire" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine") are effective. Newcomers Oleg Taktarov and Karel Roden portray the killers who are more central to Fifteen Minutes than De Niro and Burns (actually, Roden plays the killer, while Taktarov plays the wannabe filmmaker who captures all of the grisly details on videotape). Roden's chilling, psychotic Emil is the more memorable of the pair. If he's looking for a career in Hollywood, it wouldn't take much for him to be typecast as a frothing-at-the-mouth villain. There's also a cameo by Charlize Theron, who got her start in an earlier Herzfeld feature, Two Days in the Valley.
In terms of developing its thesis, Fifteen Minutes' signature scene occurs early. In it, Grammer's Hawkins is faced with a new producer who has been brought in to "broaden the format" of his ghoulish, ratings-grabbing show. He scoffs at her attempts, arguing that if there's no genuine bad news, some has to be manufactured. "If it bleeds," he says, "it leads." Later, "Top Story" airs a snuff film - all in the name of news. This isn't reality as it might be in a few years; it's reality as it is today. Consider the suicide of a Pennsylvania politician named R. Budd Dwyer, which was broadcast on television in all of its gory details - and that happened about 15 years ago. Herzfeld may be highlighting something we all understand, but the italicized moments stand out nevertheless.
Fifteen Minutes takes its share of chances, not all of which work. But it doesn't feel like a cookie-cutter cop thriller, and, on top of that, it's actually about something - a trait that is becoming increasingly rare in mainstream motion pictures. Fifteen Minutes probably won't get you to think as hard about the thin line between entertainment and exploitation as Man Bites Dog, but it makes its point, and does so in a compelling way.
© 2001 James Berardinelli