No one is responsible for what they do. It's to Herzfeld's credit that the movie's caustic observations hit the mark as often as they belabor the obvious. Less subtle is Grammer's Hawkins. TV's Frasier does a decent job of carving out a different persona here, someone who has convinced himself that his exploitative work has actual value, but Herzfeld sends him down a path that can end only in a cliched comeuppance. 15 Minutes isn't the most tightly plotted thriller you'll ever see.
Characters emerge from an exploding room with no explanation.
One character plans a romantic restaurant proposal at what turns out to be a particularly busy lunch hour. We do everything cops do. Daphne comes across as a strangely underdeveloped character, as does Melina Kanakaredes' TV reporter, who doubles as Eddie's girlfriend. Yet the movie offers some true surprises as it veers from formula to make its larger points. Despite the graphic violence, Herzfeld sticks to his themes rather than letting his movie become a brainless bloodbath.