Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Short Time (1990) > IMDb user comments

IMDb user comments for
Short Time (1990) More at IMDbPro »

Filter: Hide Spoilers:
Page 1 of 2:[1] [2] [Next]
Index 15 comments in total 

5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Dabney Coleman, Action Hero, 3 December 2003
6/10
Author: Spider-Lou from Bristol, CT

Burt Simpson, a police detective, mistakenly learns he's dying of a rare disease, but his estranged wife and family will not get the life insurance unless he dies in the line of duty. Throughout the movie he goes extreme with his police work to carry that out. Who knew that veteran character-actor Coleman could pull off such a action-oriented role? He is excellent at both the comedic and dramatic scenes, unlike many actors who perform in this genre. He also has great chemistry with Matt Frewer who plays his partner Ernie. (Burt and Ernie, ha ha!) There is much characterization that we don't often see in action movies.

The circumstances of his false knowledge are very funny. Everyone's reaction to why the hell he is doing this extreme stuff is hilarious, especially after the hostage crisis. This plot does begin a burnout towards the very end, but at least its a short enough movie that it didn't get idiotic. And keep an eye out for what might be one of the most spectacular movie car chases ever. I truly think it ranks up there with "Bullit" and "The French Connection". As for the movie poster, well, lets say it should have shown something different.

Short Time is an action movie with terrific acting, a meaningful story, and top-dollar action. There hasn't been one like that in a Long Time.

Was the above comment useful to you?

3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Quality Coleman. Mediocre story. - 6 of 10, 31 August 2003
6/10
Author: deadsenator from seattle

As another user has said, this is some of Coleman's best work. An overlooked film for a bland plot and story, this film gives Coleman a place to shine. To be sure, the acting of the others is very good, as well, and they deserve credit for a job well done, but this is obviously his film. I spotted this film on network television and I usually avoid films with commercial interruptions, but I like DC and gave it a shot for him. I am very glad that I did. He pulls this film up by it's bootstraps from a two to a six. 6 of 10

Was the above comment useful to you?

5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Dark Humor Has Some Good Moments, 4 February 2007
9/10
Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I found this to be a very entertaining comedy-suspense film with some wild action.

Until the movie "Ronin" came out in the late '90s, the car-chase scene in this movie was the best I had ever seen on film. It still may be the best - you have to see it to believe it!

Basically, this is simply a dark humor film in which a cop, "Burt Simpson" (Coleman) deals with real - or imaginary - imminent death.

Thinking he's dying, he takes ridiculous chances, actually hoping he gets killed so his kid gets insurance. Of course, he survives....and how he does is hilarious. Beware, though: this is not family viewing with the high amount of profanity.

This movie needs to be out on DVD!

Was the above comment useful to you?

2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
"You missed me again you idiot!!", 21 December 2004
9/10
Author: John Williamson (pixelman-1) from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Let me start out by repeating what has been stated before, it is very much Dabney Coleman who single handedly saves this film from mediocrity. He is truly an actor to pay attention to whenever he utters anything in his films, no matter what it is he's saying, you care. He's a decent, morally strong gentleman, and that's rare, folks.

Here, he plays laid back and up-tight police detective Burt Simpson, only days away from retiring. He's paranoid about taking risks and doing anything to risk being killed. When he goes to the doctor for a routine examination, a complication arises that leads him to believe he only has about 2 or 3 weeks to live. Then, as he's getting his final affairs in order, he finds out that his wife (Terry Garr) and young son can only collect on his insurance if he gets killed in the line of duty.

He hasn't got much time to waste, so Burt requests double duty in the worst part of the city, much to the dismay of his wiseass partner Ernie (pitch-perfectly played by Matt Frewer) who doesn't know what the hell is going on with his partner. Burt spends the next few days acting like a supercop, trying desperately to get killed by any means necessary! The show stopper, hands down, is an extended car chase through Seattle with Burt in relentless hot pursuit of another car carrying a couple of real scumbags. Burt comes after them with the determination of Robocop, and what ensues is the fastest, funniest and most frantic car chase ever captured on film! Indeed, when it's all over, their is nothing left of Burt's car but four wheels, a steering column, the engine and a seat! And of course, Burt himself with only a few minor scratches, why? Because he neglected to un-buckle his seat belt! DOAH!! Now, this isn't to say that the film is all fun and games, their are a few very poignant scenes with Burt that might bring a tear to your eye, especially the confessions he makes to his estranged wife about how he feels about her. Another is a scene in a convenience store where a man has taken hostages, Burt strolls in wearing only his boxer shorts and t-shirt and proceeds to have a truly moving heart to heart chat with the disturbed gunman.

Deftly mixing action, humor, drama and a serious message about taking stock in one's life before it's to late, Short Time delivers. It's a simple little film that got no attention, but in my experience, those often are the one's that stay with you. See it.

And BTW, where the hell is this film on DVD!?

Was the above comment useful to you?

2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
It's not easy getting yourself killed, 13 January 2004
Author: Bjorn (jbjorns) from Iceland

A police detective learns he is dying from a disease and decides to get himself killed in the line of duty so his wife and son can receive a handsome sum of money upon his demise. But getting himself killed is way harder than he thought. Although the film slows way too much down in the second half and gets overly sentimental there's more than a fair share of laughs to compensate. Dabney Coleman is terrific as usual and the rest of the cast support him well. Well worth catching.

Was the above comment useful to you?

3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
a fun movie, 26 November 2006
7/10
Author: joellen835 from United States

This movie is plain, simple, fun. It doesn't leave you breathless with suspense, or on the edge of your seat with your heart pounding. But for those who don't enjoy all the smut, violence, and potty mouth movies we've been inundated with in the past several years, its a winner. Dabney Coleman plays the part well. First, he is soon to retire from police work, and understandably doesn't want to risk his neck and lose it just before he retires. However, this all changes when he is told he has just a short time to live. Wanting nothing more than to leave his family some security, he begins his unsuccessful quest to get himself killed on the job, only to find out its harder than he thought it would be. This is a movie that does not require anyone to swim through the gray area of a controversial issue. It's just plain entertaining.

Was the above comment useful to you?

3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Great Movie, 2 January 2002
10/10
Author: jcradio from Dayton, OH

This is truly one of the funniest movies, I've seen. I used to watch it several times a week. I highly recommend this one if you like offbeat comedies. One of the funniest things was something I didn't even notice the first three times I saw it...What you ask? The names of the main characters...Burt and Ernie. That's right folks, the two cops are named after two of your favorite childhood friends. ENJOY!!

Was the above comment useful to you?

1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
A Better movie than you'd think, 16 July 2007
8/10
Author: (spamred) from British Columbia, Canada

Dabney Coleman plays a cop getting into his "short time" just before retirement. Knowing what we do about police movies, we understand why he's careful and plays it safe. During a routine blood test, he finds out he has a terminal disease and his insurance will only pay out to his estranged wife and son if he dies in the line of duty. From that setup, we get a marvelous performance by Coleman. Matt Frewer as his new partner is wonderful as well. Everyone gives a solid performance here, even Coleman's unmarked cruiser in a amazing chase sequence. If you happen to see this one coming up on TV, give it a try. I think you'll like it.

Was the above comment useful to you?

1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Very funny at times, still good even when it isn't funny, 29 February 2004
Author: vchimpanzee from North Carolina

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Burt Simpson is an uptight, practical Seattle detective with just over a week before retirement. He expects his son Dougie (who lives with mother Carolyn) to go to Harvard. His partner Ernie is more easygoing and carefree and wants to go into the hot tub business.

Not wanting anything to happen in his last week on the job, Burt refuses to take risks, and he lets a suspect get away--a man whose face appeared on a wanted poster he was looking at just seconds before spotting him, and a man connected with Carl Stark, whose gang hijacked a shipment of military weapons. Naturally, the captain is furious.

While he is getting tests at the doctor, Burt's blood sample is switched with that of a bus driver who smoked a joint and doesn't want to get caught. The bus driver, as it turns out, has a terminal illness. Burt wants to make sure his son is provided for (especially after a dream he has where the son gets into Harvard but his mother has no money to pay for it), but the only life insurance he has is a $350,000 policy that pays off only if he is killed in the line of duty. So Burt volunteers for the most dangerous duty and takes lots of risks. He also learns what is important in life.

This movie was very funny, when it was funny. At first it didn't seem as good in the dramatic scenes, but Dabney Coleman did so well in them that even those were good. Matt Frewer, on the other hand, didn't give a strong enough performance as Burt's partner. Barry Corbin made an impression as the captain.

One of the biggest highlights of the entire movie was an exciting and hilarious car chase involving Carl Stark's gang. Burt had nothing to lose, and the criminals thought he was insane. I was exhausted afterward from laughing. Later, Burt's new outlook on life proved quite valuable in another risky assignment, in a well-done dramatic scene.

There was some violence, but I guess no more than in a typical cop movie. I was glad I saw a version where they cleaned up the language.

This movie was a real winner.

********************SPOILERS********************

Burt defused a hostage situation, but he forgot to defuse the bomb!

Near the end, Burt went to the hospital and found the men whose car was demolished in that car chase, and tortured them until they told him Carl Stark's whereabouts. What followed was an edge-of-your-seat adventure involving the cop and the criminal hanging off the side of a building. And Burt was assured, from a helicopter, that the doctor made a mistake--he's not going to die! (Oh, yeah?)

Oh, yes, we do see what happens when the bus driver starts to feel the effects of his illness.

*************************************** ***************************************

SPOILERS YOU DON"T DARE READ UNLESS YOU REALLY REALLY WANT TO

*************************************** ***************************************

It's a touching funeral ceremony after Burt falls off that building.

But Burt is on crutches. His son can't understand why that bus driver was so important.

Was the above comment useful to you?

Hard to find but well worth the search!, 22 February 2009
Author: 2kilo7 from Canada

I first saw this movie First Choice (at the time Canada's HBO) in the early 90's and immediately fell in love with it. Now in my mid 30's I have been lucky enough to find it on DVD to add to my collection. I am very happy as I understand that it is a hard to find DVD and I stumbled across it on amazon one day.

If you are lucky enough to be able to view this movie on DVD or on cable or whatever, have a look. I think just about anybody could enjoy this film as it is able to be very entertaining without being overly vulgar or violent.

This is a funny story about a cop who's physical results are mixed up with another patient and he is told that he is going to die in a short time. He then finds out that his life insurance only pays out if he dies on the job. You can imagine where it goes from there. This movie is funny from start to finish and is worth a look from any movie fan.

Was the above comment useful to you?
Page 1 of 2:[1] [2] [Next]

Add another comment

Related Links

Plot summary Ratings External reviews
Plot keywords Main details Your user comments
Your vote history