REAL TIME (Randall Cole). 77 minutes. Opens Friday (November 7). For venues and times, see Movies. Rating: N
Real Time is like In Bruges, except instead of the mirthful Colin Farrell there’s a very annoying Jay Baruchel, and instead of a quaint European setting there’s Hamilton.
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The talented Baruchel (Knocked Up) plays the reckless and antsy gambler Andy by emphasizing his own least attractive mannerisms. He mutters, talks through his nose and is unnecessarily loud. In fact, his performance is so believable you have no empathy for Andy, a feeling that’s shared by the loan sharks who want him killed.
Unfortunately for us, Randy Quaid’s wise-?owl hit man has a bit of a soft spot for Andy and grants him one last hour to live. They embark on a joyride full of unfunny jokes that unspools in (you guessed it) “real time” and makes you wish the gambler only had 10 minutes.
Quaid, sporting an Australian accent, is good in a role that’s been done better. But the real problem here is a script that pivots on the titular gimmick for relevance and drives toward a dramatic climax that begs to be taken seriously but feels real stupid.