Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Two fledgling criminals kidnap a pizza delivery guy, strap a bomb to his chest, and advise him that he has mere hours to rob a bank or else...
30 Minutes or Less is a fitfully amusing but ultimately thin comedy-action hybrid. The premise is inherently novel enough — bomb-strapped pizza boy forced to rob a bank — but the script never fully capitalizes on it, lurching between tones without committing to either dark comedy or straightforward action. Eisenberg and Ansari have genuine chemistry, and Aziz Ansari in particular brings manic energy that elevates scenes, but the supporting villains (McBride, Segel) are more caricature than character. Visually, the film is competent but unremarkable, with Ruben Fleischer applying little of the stylistic flair he showed in Zombieland. The ending deflates rather than satisfying, resolving its threads in a rushed and uninspired fashion. A passable, forgettable watch that squanders a juicier concept.