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Short Time

Short Time

Action · Comedy · Crime · 1990

As a result of a misdiagnosis, Detective Burt Simpson is told he has just weeks to live. He gains a new respect for his life and loved ones but learns that in order for his wife, Carolyn, and son, Dougie, to collect any insurance money, he must be killed in the line of duty. He then becomes the most reckless man on the police force, volunteering for dangerous assignments over the objections of his by-the-book partner.

Movie details

Short Time

“Getting killed isn't as easy as it looks.”

1990 Action · Comedy · Crime 1h 37m

Critical arithmetic

The consensus, allegedly.

IMDb

6.4 / 10

2.7K votes

Rotten Tomatoes

29 %

Tomatometer

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

External scores via OMDb · CC BY-NC 4.0. Values normalized for display; availability varies by title.

As a result of a misdiagnosis, Detective Burt Simpson is told he has just weeks to live. He gains a new respect for his life and loved ones but learns that in order for his wife, Carolyn, and son, Dougie, to collect any insurance money, he must be killed in the line of duty. He then becomes the most reckless man on the police force, volunteering for dangerous assignments over the objections of his by-the-book partner.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Short Time?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Gregg Champion

Written by

Michael Berry · John Blumenthal · William Davies

Dabney Coleman

Dabney Coleman

Burt Simpson

Matt Frewer

Matt Frewer

Ernie Dills

Teri Garr

Teri Garr

Carolyn Simpson

Barry Corbin

Barry Corbin

Captain

Joe Pantoliano

Joe Pantoliano

Scalese

Xander Berkeley

Xander Berkeley

Stark

Kaj-Erik Eriksen

Kaj-Erik Eriksen

Dougie Simpson

Court is in session

Put Short Time on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Auteur Devotee

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.