The new serial-killer thriller “88 Minutes” is a 2007 film
directed by Jon Avnet starring Al Pacino, Benjamin McKenzie, Alicia Witt, Leelee
Sobieski and Deborah Kara Unger. The movie began filming in Vancouver on October 8, 2005 and wrapped in
December 2005. It was released in various areas during 2007. “88 Minutes” was
released on DVD in Israel
in 2006 and pirate copies of the film spread worldwide, a year before the movie
was scheduled to be released in theaters.
Dr. Jack Gramm (AL Pacino), a playboy-college professor and
a forensic psychiatrist for the FBI, receives a dead threat call from a copycat
psycho, who tells him he has only 88 minutes to live. Could it be one of his angry
students (Leelee Sobieski) ? Or the detained murderer (Neil McDonough) whom Gramm helped put on
Death Row?
His devoted office assistant (Amy Brenneman)? Or maybe his teaching
assistant (Alicia Witt), who has a dark secret of her own? The dean of the law
school (Deborah Kara Unge) ? Gramm has to use all his abilities in order
to find the serial killer, before his time runs out.
“88 Minutes” meanders from “mistery” to “mistery”, until it
turns out that the most obvious, if rather incoherent, explanation was correct
all along. Unfortunately, the excitement of the entire film is ruined when the
plot is resolved in the least exciting way possible.
Al Pacino was a key ingredient in some of the best movies of
the 20th century. He had many roles that matched his genius, such as
the ones from “Scarface,” “Scent of a woman,” “ The Godfather” trilogy and “The
Insider.” His current choices are the opposite of what Pacino ought to be
doing. However, he is still capable of a great return, as he gave in “The
Merchant of Venice.” Therefore, if you really want to see Pacino, no matter the
context, you should go and watch “88 Minutes”!
(Opens on Friday nationwide. Running time: 105 minutes. Rated R for
disturbing violent content, brief nudity and language.)
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