Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Jessie Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari, Nick Swardson
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 83 minutes
Synopsis: On realising that his fathers acsh is diminishing fast, slacker doofus Dwayne (McBride) and friend Travis (Swardson) hire a hitman to take the old man out. Unable to raise the funds upfront, they hatch an explosive plan: kidnap pizza delivery guy Nick (Eisenberg), strap a bomb to his chest, and give him a matter of hours to rob their local bank…
Though Ruben Fleischer made a name for himself with the popular ZOMBIELAND, his follow-up feature has more in common with PINEAPPLE EXPRESS. Though essentially a stoner comedy, 30 MINUTES OR LESS is closely tied to the action genre, padding itself out with a to-and-fro narrative, laboriously moving its principal characters from one location to another, with each amusing jaunt inevitably leading to another comedic action sequence. But for a film so concerned with frantic plotting, it is the central performances that are the key to its success, and the collective efforts of Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari, and Jesse Eisenberg ensure this is a satisfying, if somewhat morally ambiguous, comedy caper.
Over the last few years, Danny McBride has carved himself a well-defined niche in US comedy circles. Playing characters afflicted with varying levels of aggressive vulnerability, McBride has excelled as the douche-bag too stupid and inherently sweet to ever truly despise. And this is no exception, as he fleshes out his most ethically reprehensible character to date, Dwayne. Even Kenny Powers from the TV’s EASTBOUND AND DOWN would think twice about cold-blooded murder (unless a sizable pair of breasts were at stake perhaps).
As Dwayne’s dastardly plot to obtain his father’s (Fred Ward) wealth unfolds, he resists the redemptive paths most simpleton villains would take when realising the consequences of their actions. This fortunately offers the film a certain degree of unpredictability, something largely welcome in a story so heavily anchored in generic twists and turns. This is most evident in Jesse Eisenberg’s Nick, the irresponsible slacker that is sure to learn good lessons from the dangerous heist in which he finds himself. Yes, he’s sure to make it up with his on-off best friend; sure, he’s bound to confess his undying love for the girl of his dreams; and no doubt he’ll say goodbye to the weed and pizza delivery job once all is said and done. But there’s something else to 30 MINUTES OR LESS, and its climax fails to take the road one would expect, delivering a conclusion that is either a welcome change or questionable moral mine field.
30 MINUTES OR LESS delivers what audiences will be expecting, and will undoubtedly succeed it claiming its rightful place within the mumble-core and Apatow-inspired generation of comedies. It’s very funny, (a scene in which Eisenberg and Ansari rob a neighbour of his classic car is standout), and for all its predictability, the action is amusing enough. And it should work to elevate the careers of not only McBride and Ansari (who is a must-see on TV’s PARKS AND RECREATION), but also Nick Swardson, who excels as McBride’s explosive expert BFF. Nothing new but airbags of fun, 30 MINUTES OR LESS is a welcome addition to the stoner-action-comedy hybrid.
30 MINUTES OR LESS IS IN CINEMAS 16TH SEPTEMBER
