Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Language + sex + violence = funny, but not for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
30 Minutes or Less
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
- Inclusion Information : Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Columbia Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 83 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : crude and sexual content, pervasive language, nudity and some violence
- Last updated : January 26, 2025
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