Rating: 
Summary: sweaty, nauseating, lovely
Review: "Running Time" was Becker's take on Hitchcock's 1948 "Rope." Becker's film is a technically more difficult shoot as it proceeds in real time and in a 360 degree on-set world, requiring the coordination and excessive efforts of actors, director, cameraman, sound crew, etc...I am amazed at how well it turned out. From the cumbersome love scene to the display of ineptitude within the Laundromat, everything about the film was geared to put the viewer on edge. With hidden cuts and genius camera work, the action was relentless and the viewer was never able to predict where the movie and/or characters were headed. I highly recommend watching the film and then immediately listening to the commentary-you'd be amazed at how much went into making the story/editing seamless.
Briefly, the film begins with Carl's (Bruce Campbell) release from prison 5 years early for good behavior. He is met by Patrick (Jeremy Roberts), a high school chum and raging idiot with whom he plans to steal the dirty warden's money. As a gift, Patrick brings a local prostitute (and Carl's ex-girlfriend) along for the ride-Janie (played by Michigan chum, Anita Barone) quickly rekindles their old flame...so to speak. After dropping Janie off, they pick up their new driver (the ever irresponsible junkie-genius) and their safe man, Carl's old cell mate. The adventures in suspense, failure, frustration, and life lessons ensue. DVD extras include hilarious commentary by writer/director/producer Josh Becker and star, Bruce Campbell. Score by Jo LoDuca (as usual). "Running Time" is a wonderful addition to any Bruce Campbell or Josh Becker collection and for anyone who loves the continued efforts of independent filmmakers.
Rating:
Summary: sweaty, nauseating, lovely
Review: "Running Time" was Becker's take on Hitchcock's 1948 "Rope." Becker's film is a technically more difficult shoot as it proceeds in real time and in a 360 degree on-set world, requiring the coordination and excessive efforts of actors, director, cameraman, sound crew, etc...I am amazed at how well it turned out. From the cumbersome love scene to the display of ineptitude within the Laundromat, everything about the film was geared to put the viewer on edge. With hidden cuts and genius camera work, the action was relentless and the viewer was never able to predict where the movie and/or characters were headed. I highly recommend watching the film and then immediately listening to the commentary-you'd be amazed at how much went into making the story/editing seamless.
Briefly, the film begins with Carl's (Bruce Campbell) release from prison 5 years early for good behavior. He is met by Patrick (Jeremy Roberts), a high school chum and raging idiot with whom he plans to steal the dirty warden's money. As a gift, Patrick brings a local prostitute (and Carl's ex-girlfriend) along for the ride-Janie (played by Michigan chum, Anita Barone) quickly rekindles their old flame...so to speak. After dropping Janie off, they pick up their new driver (the ever irresponsible junkie-genius) and their safe man, Carl's old cell mate. The adventures in suspense, failure, frustration, and life lessons ensue. DVD extras include hilarious commentary by writer/director/producer Josh Becker and star, Bruce Campbell. Score by Jo LoDuca (as usual). "Running Time" is a wonderful addition to any Bruce Campbell or Josh Becker collection and for anyone who loves the continued efforts of independent filmmakers.
Rating:
Summary: Fun independent flick.
Review: If you're as sick to death of Hollywood big budget nonsense as I am you will want to see this movie. Creative, exciting, and it stars Bruce Campbell. Good DVD perks.
Rating:
Summary: Fun independent flick.
Review: If you're as sick to death of Hollywood big budget nonsense as I am you will want to see this movie. Creative, exciting, and it stars Bruce Campbell. Good DVD perks.
Rating:
Summary: Just a great film...
Review: Josh Becker's Running Time is certainly one of the best film's I've seen in a long time. It's a crime caper with a gimmick-this film is seemingly shot in one continuous shot. While this makes for an interesting watch, Running Time has a lot more going for it than just that gimick. Bruce Campbell turns in one of his strongest performances to date here as Carl, a convict just released from prison with one last heist to pull off. He and his partner in crime (Jeremy Roberts) assemble a crew to assist in the heist and before you know it the robbery it botched and Carl is running for his life. Running Time's story written by Josh Becker (who also produced and directed) boasts nothing terribly original in terms of the actual plot, but his dialogue is sharp and brings all of his characters to life. Campbell really displays range in this film creating a wholly believable character who is struggling to make things right in his own life. It would be great to see this fine actor cast in more dynamic roles such as this one. Although Running Time clocks in with a running time of 70 minutes, there's enough talent, humor and suspense in here for ten Hollywood productions. Josh Becker has always made great and interesting films, I anxiously look forward to his next project, Running Time was one of the best films I saw that year and it never gets old. Give this film a shot, it's as good a crime film as any made in the 90's and one that demands a larger audience.
Rating:
Summary: Just a great film...
Review: Josh Becker's Running Time is certainly one of the best film's I've seen in a long time. It's a crime caper with a gimmick-this film is seemingly shot in one continuous shot. While this makes for an interesting watch, Running Time has a lot more going for it than just that gimick. Bruce Campbell turns in one of his strongest performances to date here as Carl, a convict just released from prison with one last heist to pull off. He and his partner in crime (Jeremy Roberts) assemble a crew to assist in the heist and before you know it the robbery it botched and Carl is running for his life. Running Time's story written by Josh Becker (who also produced and directed) boasts nothing terribly original in terms of the actual plot, but his dialogue is sharp and brings all of his characters to life. Campbell really displays range in this film creating a wholly believable character who is struggling to make things right in his own life. It would be great to see this fine actor cast in more dynamic roles such as this one. Although Running Time clocks in with a running time of 70 minutes, there's enough talent, humor and suspense in here for ten Hollywood productions. Josh Becker has always made great and interesting films, I anxiously look forward to his next project, Running Time was one of the best films I saw that year and it never gets old. Give this film a shot, it's as good a crime film as any made in the 90's and one that demands a larger audience.
Rating: 
Summary: An interesting curiosity...remember ROPE?
Review: Like Hitchcock's ROPE, running time is told in real time and was designed to look as though it were all created with a single, stunning shot. Also like ROPE, it gets tangled up in its own device. I can understand why someone would want to make (or act in) a film like this--the technical and performance challenges require one to be at his sharpest during principle photography. At the other end, well, there's almost no editing to do: you shoot the thing, pick the reels that work best together, and get to work on the soundtrack. Between my curiosity about the technique and my fondness for star Bruce Campbell, I picked this one up at a local used DVD shop. The plot's pretty standard crime fare--the most interesting twist is that Campbell's character, who starts the film in prison, is back on a job before the ink on his parole papers has dried (it's real time, remember). But the technique is the real star of this show--it's a guarantee that the unblinking camera, wandering and watching, will draw your attention away from the story. In my world, though, camerawork is supposed to support the story, not distract you from it. The performances are good all around and suitable to the format (no exceptional gaffes or line flubs), but in the end, I think the average viewer will simply write this off as an interesting way to burn an hour and fifteen minutes.
Rating: 
Summary: STEADY-CAM BRILLIANCE
Review: PUT ASIDE ANY AND ALL NOTIONS THAT BECAUSE TWO PIVOTAL CHARACTERS (BRUCE CAMPBELL / JOSH BECKER) FROM EVIL DEAD / ARMY OF DARKNESS FAME ARE ONCE AGAIN CALABERATING ON A FILM PROJECT, THAT THE "CAMPINESS" AND CHEESY DIALOG PREVAILS. IT DOESN'T, BUT WHAT YOU DO GET IS: SHEAR BRILLIANCE IN FILM MAKING, I MEAN THE ACTUAL PROCESS OF MAKING A FILM, THE CAMERA WORK IS MANNED BY ONE STEADYCAM OPERATER, WHOSE CUT AWAYS ARE SO HIDDEN YOU GET A SENSE OF A "DOCUMENTARY" FEEL TO THE FILM. THE ACTORS HAVING TO HIT THIER MARKS TO KEEP THE CAMERA IN FOCUS AT ALL TIMES IS A REMARKABLE FEAT TO SEE. THE WRITING IS GREAT IF YOU YOU LIKE "LOW RENT CRIME" (AND WHO DOESN'T) AND THE ACTING IS BELIEVABLE. THE FACT THAT A COUPLE OF FRIENDS FROM MICHIGAN CAN "SCREW-AROUND" WITH FILM WOULD EVENTUALLY END-UP WITH THIS QUALITY OF WORK (WITH NO CORPORATE SUPPORT - EVER) IS WORTH DELVING DEEPER INTO THESE TWO ARTISTS WORK... PAST, PRESENT AND KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR FUTURE WORK.... BECAUSE THE DIVIDENDS ARE STARTING TO PAY-OFF FOR THIS EVIL DEAD CLAN, AND IT'S LONG OVER DUE.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible
Review: Short take: the movie isn't very interesting and Bruce Campbell should stick to what he does well. John Cleese does. Charlie Chaplin did. Does anyone criticize them for it? No. They're recognized geniuses.
This movie is 70 minutes long. The highlight of the film occurs during a robbery when the robbers begin to bicker among themselves, but that bickering is not really very good. It's only passable. The ending of the film is an absolute cop-out. It's totally off the track, as if they ran out of money and so came up with this quick way of finishing up. It is VERY unsatisfying. You will feel cheated.
The only actor who actually does a good job - I mean a totally professional job that won't at any time make you cringe - is the black guy. He's polished and right on the mark. Everyone else acts in varying shades of not-so-good to horrible, except maybe for the drug addict, who had his moments and was pretty good all around too.
A word on the star. No one can hold a candle to Bruce Campbell when he's doing comedy or horror/comedy or being a wise guy. Evil Dead 2, for example, is utterly unique and virtually a Bruce Campbell one-man show. In that film and films like it, he is brilliant and irreplacable. But when he tries straight acting he falls flat, at least in the serious roles I've seen him in, Maniac Cop and Running Time, and an episode of, I think it was the t.v. show "Homicide". My girlfriend actually left the room during Running Time. She couldn't take it. "It looks as if he doesn't know what to do with his hands," she said. Now my girlfriend loves Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, Jack of All Trades, and Bruce as the Prince of Thieves on Xena. She left the room during Running Time because she felt embarrassed for Bruce. She was more honestly expressing what I was feeling, but didn't want to admit, because I, like so many others, love Bruce and want him to be great all the time.
I feel guilty for being so blatantly honest because all the evidence suggests that Bruce Campbell is also a good, decent, and even gracious guy, who goes all out for his fans, but in the long run in this case I think honesty is best. Listen, no one thinks less of John Cleese for sticking to what he's good at. Charlie Chaplin has gone down in history as a genius. There's just no reason for Bruce Campbell to keep trying this straight stuff. It's only hurting his reputation.
If the serious roles I've seen Bruce Campbell in: Running Time, Maniac Cop, and the episode of "Homicide" are somehow flukes. If he's better in his other serious roles, then apologies. But from what I have to go on - and this is definitely true in Running Time - he just doesn't do straight roles well.
Combine Bruce's (and several other actors') bad acting in Running Time, together with the bad story, and you've got one unsatisfying experience.
Rating:
Summary: Watch it twice!! IT GETS BETTER.
Review: The first time I saw this film, I didn't like it. But now I LOVE it. Running Time has received mixed reviews, and it is certainly not perfect. However, it's very important to remember what the director and cast are trying to do here. This is not some mega-budget, pseudo-experimental film--it's the real deal, a bona fide indie with a spectacular concept behind it. The technical feats that director Becker pulls off (with NO money whatsoever!) are pretty special, and the acting is very good. Some people love Bruce Campbell in this, others hate him. I say WATCH IT TWICE. Listen to the director's commentary on the DVD! After you realize what this tiny little movie is trying to do, you'll be very impressed. Yes, the script is a little weak and the ending might be a little cheezy, but overall, any true Film buff is going to be VERY impressed.
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