Running Time

Running Time is a fine low-budget indie flick that remains intriguing today thanks mainly to the casting of Bruce Campbell in the lead role and comes across as one of those post-Tarantino films in which we watch criminals in their free time chatting about life, pop culture and their own small-time dreams, and which give their genre and the medium of film itself a sense of immediacy. In this case, this happens thanks to the gimmick consisting in the illusion of the narrative taking place in real time and as if in one shot, with the addition of literally announcing key deadlines and tasks for the characters. In comparison with other indie flicks of the same period, such as Floundering (1994), American Strays (1996), The Grave (1996) and even Tarantino’s films of the time, Running Time sets itself apart with its bold playfulness and levity. It does not wallow in the sullen and existential angst of an aimless generation, nor does it ostentatiously show off its sophistication. It simply takes delight in implementing the chosen one-shot concept. This is due in large part to the fact that Josh Becker is not actually part of the 1990s wave of independent filmmakers, but as a contemporary and collaborator of the Raimi brothers, he rather belongs to the earlier generation of film enthusiasts who picked up a camera and were defined by their more pop, genre and non-confrontational sensibilities. (08/01/2022)