30 Minutes or Less
Parents say
Based on 7 reviews
Kids say
Based on 17 reviews
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
30 Minutes or Less
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this subversive, mature comedy earns its R rating with lots of adult material -- from partial nudity to drug use, violence, and swearing. The villains catch the main character, strap a bomb to his chest, and force him to rob a bank. Guns are also pulled, a flame thrower is used as a weapon, and there are car crashes, fights, and at least one dead body. A strip club scene includes topless women; there are also some implied sex acts (including oral sex) and lots of innuendo. Language is constant, including "f--k," "s--t," "p---y," "t-ts," and "c--k." Characters also drink lots of beer and smoke some pot.
Community Reviews
Really good, lots of f**ks and b**bs though
Report this review
Report this review
What's the Story?
In Grand Rapids, MI, Nick (Jesse Eisenberg) hasn't lived up to his potential. He works as a pizza delivery man, and his only friend is schoolteacher Chet (Aziz Ansari) -- whose sister (Bianca Kajlich) Nick is secretly in love with. Meanwhile, Dwayne (Danny McBride) is fed up watching his lottery winner father (Fred Ward) waste his riches and decides, along with his buddy (Nick Swardson), to hire a contact killer and take out the old man. To do this, they need money. So they conjure up a plan to kidnap a pizza delivery man, strap a bomb to his chest, and force him to rob a bank. Nick becomes the victim and calls on Chet for help. What follows is a crazy, reckless race against time.
Is It Any Good?
For 30 MINUTES OR LESS, Oscar nominee Eisenberg re-teams with Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer; the result isn't quite as clever as that hit, but 30 Minutes or Less isn't bad. It's like a live-action version of a vulgar, violent cartoon: It's cheerful, willfully subversive, speedy, and lightweight. The filmmakers have gone out of their way to nab an "R" rating, inserting all kinds of swearing, beer-drinking, pot-smoking, and gratuitous nudity ... though it's all often put to hilarious use.
The violence, on the other hand, seems a bit misplaced, especially the use of the bomb vest; it recalls all-too-serious images from the news. Still, the movie never stops being fast, funny, or crazy, and the combination of talent helps sell it. Eisenberg turns in a believably panicked performance, and he's nicely matched by stand-up comic Ansari. Even the bad guys show their humanity from time to time, and Ward is a scream as the nasty old dad.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 12, 2011
- On DVD or streaming: November 29, 2011
- Cast: Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride, Jesse Eisenberg
- Director: Ruben Fleischer
- Studio: Columbia Pictures
- Genre: Comedy
- Run time: 83 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: crude and sexual content, pervasive language, nudity and some violence
- Last updated: June 2, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
Crank
Stylish, depraved, speedy action. Not for kids.
-
Live Free or Die Hard
First non-R Die Hard still a big blowout.
-
Hot Fuzz
Bad Boys meets Shaun of the Dead.
For kids who love action and comedy
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate