Merrick here...

GOUDA sent in sa look at Al Pacino in 88 MINUTES [TRAILER HERE].

This is a film by frequent producer/sometime director Jon Avnet. It's been in release overseas since last Summer, but will finally make make its way to the States in April....for better or worse.


Here's GOUDA...

I just got back from a vacation in Brazil. While there, on a rainy day, I watched a movie called 88 Minutes with Al Pacino. After doing some research, I found this film has been in the can since 2006 and has been released in some foreign territories, like Brazil, France, Greece etc. Anyway, apparently it will be released here in the States this coming April.

I was skeptical before watching the film. Why was a movie with Al Pacino be collecting dust for so long? Is it bad? Is it tied up in legalities? After watching the film, I have but one question; Who in Hollywood did Pacino lose a bet with to have to star in this crap? I mean, he obviously doesn't need the money. He's starred in The Godfather, Scarface, and Scent of a Women, so he knows a good script when he reads one. For the life of me I can't figure out why the Al is a part of this mess.

Anyway, the title, 88 Minutes, refers to the fact the Dr Jack Gramm ( Pacino ) apparently has 88 minutes to live. He is informed of this factoid via a mysterious phone call.

Dr Jack Gramm is an egotistical college professor, who, when not sleeping with his hot students, moonlights as a consultant for the FBI. His analysis of a suspected murderer, Jon Forster, played by Neil McDonough ( from Boomtown ) got the guy sentenced to death. Now the whole film takes place on the day of this guy's pending execution.

Not only is a guy supposed to die who Gramm put on the gurney, but a girl who Gramm used to sleep with, a student, has also turned up dead.

That's the biggest problem with the film. Too much going on at once. After Jack finds out he has 88 minutes to live, he doesn't seem too concerned. He kind of just brushes it off. He spends part of the movie trying to find out who wants him dead and the other part trying to figure out who killed his former student.

At the end of the movie, when everything is revealed, it couldn't be more pathetic. There was no way that anything in the movie that had happened up to that point, could justify who the killer was. I just didn't buy it.

The movie also stars Lelee Sobieski and Benjamin "The OC" McKenzie as two of Gramm's students. If there is a saving grace in the film, it William Forsythe's character, a special agent trying to find out who killed Gramm's student. His tough as nails cop is somewhat believable.

So, bottom line here, stay away. If you need further proof, let me tell you how the movie starts: Al Pacino dancing to hip hop music at a nightclub with a girl at least 3 inches taller than him, who appears to be 18 years old. Very creepy. Very bad film.

If you use this review, please call me GOUDA.