30 minutes or Less: more like 30 Seconds - AKA how much of t

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NachtcGleiskette
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30 minutes or Less: more like 30 Seconds - AKA how much of this movie is funny

Post by NachtcGleiskette »

I just spent 2 hours in a movie theater texting and playing Hanging With Friends while the least funny movie I have seen in a while played before me. And I don't get why it wasn't funny! It had all the potential to BE funny! It has Danny McBride, Nick Swardson, Aziz Ansari! But it was NOT FUNNY EVER.

The problem with this movie, I think, lies in two places:

1. Um, could there be a joke? There wasn't a single joke in this movie. Not a punchline to be seen. Now, I'm not sure if this is due to the writing or the acting. There were plenty of scenes where there seemed to be jokes, but they got lost because things were moving way too fast. And yet, it was the slowest paced movie ever. I wanted that movie over and checked my phone to see I was only a half hour in. Lose your audience in 30 minutes or less!

2. A string of second bananas does not a lead cast make. The big problem I think is that these guys are ACE as second bananas. I love Aziz Ansari in Parks & Recreation, where he's there for a quick joke or silly situation, but the story doesn't depend on him. Nick Swardson has hilarious stand up and is so funny as Terry in Reno 911, but I've never seen him be able to carry a role in a movie. I don't really know much about Danny McBride, but I've heard Eastbound & Down is great, but I can't really comment on it. And Jesse Eisenberg is a great actor, but he's not a comedy man. At very least, he is in no way familiar enough with comedy to be able to carry a comedy movie in the leading man role. Not every actor can just step into a comedy and make it funny, no matter how amazing the script is. He has that whole quirky shy guy thing going for him, but when conveying a bomb is strapped to his chest, it's not funny as much as it is awkward.

I will give the movie credit in saying I did chuckle here and there. But the fact that it couldn't keep my attention from my phone (which I am a monster when people take out their phones at movies. It drives me nuts!) says it all.

However, there were two guys in the row in front of me who seemed to enjoy it. Is this one of the movies that just doesn't cross the gender divide?

[Edited on 1/9/11 by NachtcGleiskette]
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30 minutes or Less: more like 30 Seconds - AKA how much of t

Post by Crawler »

This movie was not at all what you expected from the trailers and ads. It was not a pure comedy with a few heist elements sprinkled in.

That said, I really liked it. If you went in expecting to see the movie they were advertising, you were no doubt sorely disappointed. However, if you realized early on that this was a heist movie with comedic elements, not vice versa, it was a pretty damned good movie. Basically, it was Italian Job or Ocean's Number, only filled with stupider characters. Instead of the usual smart people trying to outsmart other smart people in a situation they have completely under control, it was people of average intelligence trying to outsmart other people of average intelligence in a situation way beyond their abilities. I thought that was fun.

There was also a lot of "slow jokes," which generally lend themselves much better to repeat viewings than first runs. There were a lot of jokes that took a minute to find funny. On first viewing, those don't often get a laugh (and people laughing around you makes things funnier) because you've moved on to whatever else is happening on the screen. For example, I was the only one in the theater that laughed when "The Heat is On" started playing.
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30 minutes or Less: more like 30 Seconds - AKA how much of t

Post by Ult_Sm86 »

I thought almost the complete opposite of that.

It took way too long to get to the funny parts, but once the bomb was strapped on to Jesse Eisenberg's character, it actually took off and started to get... humorous.

But it was certainly no flash of brilliance like "Tropic Thunder" or "Knocked Up".

Personally, I don't think the movie even comes close to a "heist". If anything it's a mockery of how heists should not be handled. Surprisingly, the bank scene itself is probably no more than 15-20 minutes of the movie. The rest after and before is just people shooting at each other, swearing at one another, and acting generally stupid.
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30 minutes or Less: more like 30 Seconds - AKA how much of t

Post by NachtcGleiskette »

Crawler wrote:This movie was not at all what you expected from the trailers and ads. It was not a pure comedy with a few heist elements sprinkled in.

That said, I really liked it. If you went in expecting to see the movie they were advertising, you were no doubt sorely disappointed. However, if you realized early on that this was a heist movie with comedic elements, not vice versa, it was a pretty damned good movie. Basically, it was Italian Job or Ocean's Number, only filled with stupider characters. Instead of the usual smart people trying to outsmart other smart people in a situation they have completely under control, it was people of average intelligence trying to outsmart other people of average intelligence in a situation way beyond their abilities. I thought that was fun.

There was also a lot of "slow jokes," which generally lend themselves much better to repeat viewings than first runs. There were a lot of jokes that took a minute to find funny. On first viewing, those don't often get a laugh (and people laughing around you makes things funnier) because you've moved on to whatever else is happening on the screen. For example, I was the only one in the theater that laughed when "The Heat is On" started playing.
I can see where you are coming from here. I went in expecting exactly what was advertised, and I was very disappointed. But then, I wonder if the intention WAS to make an all out hilarious comedy, but it fell short.

At the same time, I am not a heist movie fan. So it didn't do anything for me there. I just wanted a funny movie!

But I'm glad you enjoyed it :). Clearly it has an audience, it just needs to learn how to advertise TO that audience.
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30 minutes or Less: more like 30 Seconds - AKA how much of t

Post by Crawler »

I frickin' love heist movies. Everything from Asphalt Jungle and The Killing to Reservoir Dogs and The Italian Job (both versions) to Ocean's Eleven and Inception. I thought that 30 Minutes or Less was a nice twist on the classic caper formula, essentially compartmentalizing the "heist gang" into separate and conflicting sides, none of the sides ever getting the full picture of the heist. Then there's the twist of casting basically regular people as the conspirators, instead of the usual near-geniuses with a precise plan and array of specialized knowledge. It gets out of hand very quickly and it becomes a contest of determination...which is what most of the best heist movies boil down to.

I really think you'd like it more if you saw it a second time, Nacht. Give it another chance when it hits your local Redbox. :D
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30 minutes or Less: more like 30 Seconds - AKA how much of t

Post by NachtcGleiskette »

Ehh, I dunno. I really am not a heist person (I didn't like Inception either, for example). But, I will possibly Netflix it when it gets there...
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