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15 Minutes [Blu-ray]

1 disc
Region 1 USA/CA (info)

Set in a tabloid world of murder and mayhem, 15 MINUTES is a fast-paced, electrifying thriller that takes on modern America's tawdry fascination with crime. Arson investigator Jordy Warsaw (Edward Burns) tags along with celebrity cop Eddie Flemming (Robert DeNiro) to investigate a double murder committed by a pair of Eastern European criminals, Emil and Oleg, who have come to America seeking money owed them by an old partner. As the crimes continue, the duo decide to escape prosecution by videotaping their crimes (Oleg dubs himself "Frank Capra")--an act that seems so crazy that it would allow them to plead insanity. With this out as a safeguard, they then plan to make millions by selling their footage to a sleazy journalist (Kelsey Grammar). But as the brutality of the crimes intensifies, Eddie and Jordy are pushed to the limits of the law and beyond in their search for justice.

Director John Herzfeld (2 DAYS IN THE VALLEY) uses lurid cinematography and extreme characters to make a scathing, yet boldly funny, point about guilt and responsibility in modern, media-obsessed America. Actor Karel Roden (Emil) is a leading Czech stage actor, while newcomer Oleg Taktarov (Oleg) is a former Ultimate Fighting Champion from Russia.
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Credits

Robert De Niro, Robert DeNiro, Edward Burns, Ed Burns, Kelsey Grammer, Melina Kanakaredes, John DiResta, Darius McCrary, Avery Brooks, Oleg Taktarov
Critic Reviews

"...De Niro is utterly in his element here as a self-assured, celebrated Gothamite....[Roden] makes Emil into a scarily gleeful, quick-witted sociopath....[Theron provides] a bright cameo..."
Variety
"...De Niro gives a commanding performance, and Edward Burns is appealing....Grammar has fun with his slimeball role..."
Movieline's Hollywood Life
"...[The film] has a crowd-stopping impact....It's exhilarating to watch Mr. De Niro in 15 MINUTES, exulting in his pallor and workingman's verve....Mr. Herzfeld works with zest..."
New York Times
"...It's fun to watch the notoriously press-shy de Niro preening for the cameras. He and Burns spar in style..."
Rolling Stone
"...Exciting....Its savage indictment of the nexus involving media, crime and a voracious public is a cinematic statement difficult to ignore..."
Los Angeles Times