AL PACINO IN 88 MINUTES: REVIEW

PACINO MISFIRES IN INCOMPETENT CRIME/THRILLER 88 MINUTES

Apr 8, 2008

Al Pacino struggles alongside an equally bumbling cast of talented character actors in Jon Avnet's over bloated concept thriller 88 Minutes

With the success of hit TV show 24, director Jon Avnet and screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson (who both pulled double duty as the films producers) attempt to bring the real time concept thriller on the silver screen, recruiting big name actor Al Pacino in the process. The final result is a sad misadventure for all involved.

YOUR TIME STARTS…NOW!

88 Minutes stars Pacino as Dr. Jack Graham, a college professor and playboy who moonlights as a forensic psychiatrist for the FBI. His successful testimony in the case of serial killer Jon Forster (Neal McDonough) earned him worldwide acclaim and assured Forster the death penalty. On the day of Forster’s execution a copycat killer murders two of Graham’s former lovers, and then issues Graham with the threat that he has 88 minutes live. Graham must use his expertise to find the killer before his time is up.

Jon Avnet (who replaced original director James Foley) has crafted an appalling thriller which unforgivably lacks tension, and fails to establish compassion for its characters. The extremely weak script by Gary Scott Thompson does not contain one speck of interesting character development and is infected with poor dialogue straight from a TV movie.

A number of bland plot devices, such as an over use of the flashback, contributes to the film's Movie-of-the-Week vibe. In fact, what it feels like is an overlong CSI rip off. Film composer Ed Shearmur provides a terrible score, and shoddy opening credits adequately (yet unfortunately) set the tone for one stinker of a film. Yet nothing can prepare for the appalling oversight towards continuity, with vast re-shoots stick out like a sore thumb thanks to the hair and make-up department’s failure to match Pacino’s frizzled hairstyle with previously shot scenes.

Master thespian Al Pacino provides an unsatisfactory performance for a man with his talents. Usually his natural charisma and tendency for chewing up the scenery will keep a bad film (in which he has appeared in many) from going under. This time however Pacino fails to neither intrigue nor entertain the viewer in what can only be described as a sloppy acting exhibition. A cast of veteran character actors (mostly from the tube) contribute insufficient support. Among them are Leelee Sobieski, Amy Brenneman, and William Forsythe.

Another Pacino/Avnet collaboration entitled Righteous Kill (which co-stars Robert De Niro) is due for release in September. It is a highly anticipated film, and will hopefully be much better than 88 Minutes.

The copyright of the article AL PACINO IN 88 MINUTES: REVIEW in Action Films/Thrillers is owned by Matthew Robert Pejkovic. Permission to republish AL PACINO IN 88 MINUTES: REVIEW in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.