Brilliant and touching

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Nick Of Time is one of those short nifty films that just gets by by being cute, (so darn cute here) throwing everything in, but the kitchen sink. Depp and daughter arrive at an L.A. train station where they are approached by two mysterious figures (Walken and Mafia, like you've never seen her before) posing as plain clothes cops. At the flash of a badge, the daughter is snatched from Depp, and Walken gives him an ultimatum: assassinate this senator (Mason) within 75 minutes, of the daughter will be killed. These pro killers will carry out on their promise too. So we're working with real time, where it's hard to believe all of what Depp goes through, happens in this time space. I'll be honest, it's almost improbable, and you will notice by the cut back to time readings, time moves slow. It is interesting though in how Depp does his own thing, using his smarts, trying to figure an answer out of the dilemma, and what he resorts to. There are holes in this film, trust me. Depp plays it down the line, Mr Goody clean, in one of his sanest roles. He's superb, where Walken is fantastic as always, and menacing where Mafia is scary and disturbing. Mason with her doting public figure character, couldn't be finer, where Strauss, as a bad guy? yeah, and Mason's husband, does well. There are some thrilling turns in this, where Depp must outwit a sea of good and bad guys, but on the whole, NOT is weak, get by thriller, written by the guy who strangely enough wrote 94's dark, flat, adult pic, The Pornographer, where his baby was 82's The Beach Girls. NOT does have a truly thrilling and spectacular climax, bringing it's quality up, in something too little, too late. It isn't one of the brightest films, or brightest written, parts, involving dialogue too, seemed to be made up as it went, by a writer who's written his share of pics, and a consistent director, who's made his share.

I was picturing this during the movie: They just wrapped filming a movie with Johhny Depp, and the studio next door just wrapped filming a movie with Christopher Walken, then the directors of the two movies met and were like: hey, we wrapped early, we got some extra time on our hands, wanna make another movie real quick? And they just did. And it was awesome.You know, this movie just entertained the crap outta me. It's short, quick and not the least bit realistic. (I don't like to use that word when describing movies though, reaslism in movies hardly exists at all) But this movie does not try to be, either.It's like a mix between a video game and an episode of MacGyver, or some sort of light TV entertainment. Feels kind of like a dream, or something. Johnny Depp and Christopher Walken both have enough charisma to carry a movie by themselves, here they share the burden.What I'm trying to say is: It's all good, man! I really liked it. It's exciting and fun.

Contains spoiler. This Johnny Depp/Christopher Walken film is unremarkable in quite a few ways: at least, cinematography, script, acting are on the list . . . But I was drawn to the central theme—the paralyzing horror of Depp's predicament. I think Johnny pretty well covers the range of emotions you'd think everyone would feel in his situation. His desperation seems real. Realistic. Lost. Enervated. Enraged. Galvanized. The unremitting adrenaline, pushing him to act, or run . . . or kill. I was on his side, but I did not want to be him. Almost too dreadful to say it in words: kill, or see his child killed. I waited and watched for his escape, his release, his salvation. I fiercely wonder how I would act in such a raging, tormented dilemma. My salvation, right at the moment, is that I don't have to make the choice. Read more on my blogs: Barley Literate History: Bottom Lines

Another "thriller" that offers little suspense.Depp tries to make this work. He can't. Walken barely walks through this, undoubtedly because he knew there was little point after seeing just how poor a job the screenwriter did on this movie. Gloria Reuben and the rest of the cast are wasted, as well. The premise would stretch credulity in the hands of a master director. Badham is NOT that (though he did a decent job with "Point of No Return" in 1993). Save your time and money. Watch the Bridget Fonda flick I just mentioned. Or try "No Way Out" or its predecessor "The Big Clock" if you want something old school. Just don't bother with this.