TriStar, Equity Pictures and Family Room Entertainment present an R rated, 108 minute crime drama thriller directed by Jon Avnet and starring Al Pacino (Dr. Jack Gramm), Alicia Witt (Kim Cummings), LeeLee Sobieski (Lauren Douglas), Amy Brenneman (Shelly Barnes), William Forsythe (Special Agent Frank Parks) with Deborah Kara Unger (Carol Johnson), Benjamin McKenzie (Mike Stempt), Neal McDonough (Jon Forster), Leah Cairns (Sara Pollard), Stephen Moyer (Guy LaForge), Christopher Redman (Jeremy Guber), Brendan Fletcher (Johnny D'Franco), Michael Eklund (J.T. Rycker), Kristina Copeland (Dale Morris), Tammy Hui (Janie Cates).
The Seattle Times reads, Princes Diana killed in car crash. People die every day whether in accidents, old age or murdered by a serial killer. Jack Gramm is a professor at the University as well as a Forensic Psychologist for the FBI. Years ago while in his late twenties his sister at the age of twelve was brutally tortured and murdered in his apartment. The title of this film has a substantial relevance to her death and later plays a part in the threat to Dr. Jack Gramm.
Jack helped convict Jon Forster as the serial killer of several young women by convincing the jury of his guilt. Jon's final words to Jack in court, "tic doc toc", or something of the sort! Words that will once again come out to haunt him. Years later someone starts to kill young women associated with Jack. He soon sets out on a mission to find the killer of the women but also out to save his own life since the serial killer has phoned him about his impending death in "88 Minutes".
Questions arise during his race with time to uncover the killer. Is it possible that he wrongfully accused Jon Forster of the murders due to the lack of sufficient evidence? Is it a set up to implement Jack of the murders or truly a copy cat murderer with or without ties to Jon Forster? Who in Jack's current life is making the death threats? He starts to suspect all the people in his social and professional structure. Shelley his gay office assistant and confidant who harbors a little white lie that sends Jack mentally back into the pain of the past. Kim, his teaching assistant, a young beauty with a jealous past, who secretly has a crush on him. Lauren, a brilliant student on her way to a psychology background with the smarts of a legal genius. Mike, someone who likes to stick his business in places that make him look like the obvious killer or class idiot. Everyone that Jack comes across in this film ends up in one way or another becoming a potential suspect, even the Dean of the university.
The main characters help move this twist and turn script forward even though it is filled with several, maybe, intentional written and acted errors to throw off the viewer. The direction to the film is sufficient but lacks believability sometimes due to the awkward characters to the small parts that lend no meaning to the substance of the plot other than to irritate you or sway you from the somewhat obvious killer. Basically, if you keep a close eye on the players to this game of cat and mouse along with the scattering of multiple clues, you'll pretty much reveal the true Ted Bundy want to be. Albeit, in the end it comes down to a mental challenge of whether Jack would sacrifice himself for others. The final question, what would you do if you only had twelve hours to live? Hey at least it's more than "88 Minutes"!
The film has so much going on with the writing that it lacks in the actual acting. Pacino, of course, was the true carrier to this story giving it a sense of suspense and anticipation. Witt, used like a ghostly pawn in a game of chess grabs your attention but sometimes leaves you wondering what to do with it. Sobieski, who I admire as an actress was missing a bit of spark, making her role at times drab and uneventful. Brenneman, actually could have been used a bit more since she portrayed a strong role even though her character is somewhat wasted. The murders even though a bit bizarre like something out of a "Saw" film where interesting to say the least but had a bit of over-dramatized sometimes unbelievable aspects to the undeveloped characters. Overall, the film will keep your attention for the time in the theatre and should do well in its first few weeks but don't look for it to be Pacino's best work. Maybe next time pay more attention to the cat, it saved one girls life, so maybe it could have pawed the murderer. Now that would have made for yet even more kibble thrown into this meow mix of a story.
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.