30 Minutes or Less (Ruben Fleischer, 2011)

[mfunk9786]

It's a shame to see a fun film like this get a big "meh" from critics when it already seemed doomed to open like, 6th at the box office and disappear forever. Ruben Fleischer directed Zombieland, and regardless of your thoughts on that film, I don't think anyone would argue that it was better than it had any right to be. (Despite the fact that it ultimately felt like the pilot episode for a really fun HBO series, I liked it a lot.) Now comes another instance of a film with a goofy premise (this time from a screenplay written by Scott Rudin's former assistant, which sounds like a total nightmare of a Hollywood job) that probably should have just been either awfully made or scrapped altogether - but Fleischer again gathers a great cast, a talented DP, and directs the hell out of the material; breathing life into it in the process. Jesse Eisenberg seems to be having fun here, especially because he doesn't have to play up his nervousness like most of his roles insist he does. Combine his strong lead performance with two incredibly skilled one-liner machines (Ansari and McBride, both hilarious here) and it's easy to overlook the film's flaws in logic because you're too busy laughing. The direction, unlike this summer's slapdash Horrible Bosses, is solid action comedy work without a ton of continuity issues or "this director is out of his element" moments. I look forward to seeing what Fleischer does next - after two solid pictures that are both rare action/comedy hybrids that don't make me want to claw my eyes out - I feel safe buying tickets to one of his films going forward, even if the premise or the trailer leaves something to be desired.

[knives]

My biggest problem is that the ending is going ton be a lose-lose no matter what. If he survives (the likely end) then it's a major punking out and nonsensical. Plus it would be rude to the 'inspiration' to the film. If he dies, I'd congratulate them if they pulled it off tonally, but I don't see how they could make it not exploitative.

[mfunk9786]

I'll just put this out there without spoiling anything: The ending works.

[willoneill]

Just got back from this, and while it wasn't as strong for me as Zombieland, I definitely spent the whole time laughing, and what else can you ask for? The ending works, just because the movie ends at the right moment in time in the only good way it could end.

Also, the car chase (not a spoiler, as it's in the trailer) had the perfect song over it.