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88 Minutes

88 Minutes

He has 88 minutes to solve a murder. His own.

2007108 minRMidcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Director
Jon Avnet
Starring
Al Pacino, Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski, Amy Brenneman

Famed forensic psychiatrist Dr. Jack Gramm enjoys a reputation as one of the most sought-after profilers around. His expert testimony has resulted in the conviction of many criminals, including serial killer Jon Forster. On the eve of Forster's execution, one of Gramm's students is murdered in a vicious copycat crime, and Gramm himself receives an ominous message informing him that he has less than 90 minutes to live.

Where to watch

Where can I watch 88 Minutes?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists 88 Minutes to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about 88 Minutes?

88 Minutes earns 5 badges, led by Preferred by Non-US Viewers and Real time.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is 88 Minutes worth watching?

88 Minutes' Midcredits score is the 29th percentile of all films, from 103K ratings across 6 sources. 39% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

29th percentile

Better received than 29% of films

28th percentile among Crime29th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)24th
Approval (how many liked it)36th

53 /100

24th percentile of all films

22nd percentile among Crime24th percentile among 2000s

Critics 17 · Audience 56

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

39% liked it

36th percentile of all films

36th percentile among Crime34th percentile among 2000s
39% rated it 7–1061% rated it 1–6

Critics 5% · Audience 44%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 3 noms overall

95th percentile

103K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Crime91st percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 21% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$7M
Domestic gross$17M
Worldwide gross$33M

Returned 1.1× its budget — 89th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a fast-paced, suspense-driven thriller built around a race against time, though they differ on whether that pace compensates for the plot's implausibility.

Fans praised

  • fast-paced suspense that keeps you engaged
  • effective bone-chilling score that heightens tension
  • Al Pacino's performance, especially as the suspense intensifies

Detractors panned

  • inane, preposterous plot with all-too-familiar themes
  • one-dimensional characters and abysmal acting, particularly Leelee Sobieski
  • amateur editing and sloppy, horribly put-together storyline

What stands out

Sound and music70

Bone-chilling score that enhances the sense that anything could happen

PacingDivisive65

Fast pace creates urgency and keeps interest, though some find it rushed and poorly edited

TensionDivisive60

Suspenseful race against time keeps viewers on edge, but detractors find it ridiculous rather than thrilling

ActingDivisive40

Pacino's energy praised by fans, but detractors call the cast's performances abysmal, with Sobieski singled out as worst

Plot and storyDivisive25

Implausible, preposterous storyline with too many red herrings and a ridiculous premise

CharactersDivisive20

Thin, one-dimensional characters with every cast member planted as a potential suspect

DialogueDivisive20

Inept lines and clichéd script, hilariously stupid in places

Originality20

Derivative serial killer thriller trodding on all-too-familiar themes

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 20 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is 88 Minutes like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadThrilling
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Real time · 1% of films: Story time equals screen time — no time skips.
ToneThe film plays its high-stakes, race-against-time premise completely straight, with no irony or self-awareness, treating the thriller mechanics and emotional revelations with full seriousness.
The rideThe countdown premise sustains tension and dread from start to finish, with peaks of thriller action.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional three-act structure with a ticking clock that creates a real-time feel; events are presented linearly with flashbacks to the protagonist's past.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's twist and moral ambiguity about justice and guilt linger, while the gritty depiction of manipulation and murder leaves an uneasy feeling.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA forensic psychiatrist is framed for copycat murders and receives a death threat from an unseen enemy; he must identify and stop the killer before time runs out, fitting the oppressive_state subtype as the antagonist manipulates the justice system and institutions.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfDeception
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Deception · 9% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsSurvival
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores a web of lies and hidden truths surrounding a death row case and a life-or-death countdown.
StanceThe film questions who can be trusted and whether justice is served, focused closely on one man's race for survival.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Edward Shearmur
SettingA forensic psychologist races against time across Seattle (portrayed as a generic city) between a university campus and crime-related locations.
MusicThe score is likely designed to heighten the countdown tension.

Content guide

Is 88 Minutes okay for kids?

R

88 Minutes is rated R: “Rated R for disturbing violent content, brief nudity and language” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (87/100), sexual content at intense (63/100), language at moderate (42/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (25/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Its language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 15 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA15+
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Belgium16
  • Denmark15
  • Greece16
  • Hungary16
  • IsraelR
  • Netherlands16
  • PortugalM/16
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 77%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 79%
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (9 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (62 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does 88 Minutes have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in 88 Minutes?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Al Pacino
as Jack Gramm
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alicia Witt
as Kim Cummings
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Leelee Sobieski
as Lauren Douglas
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Amy Brenneman
as Shelly Barnes
William Forsythe
as Frank Parks
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Deborah Kara Unger
as Carol Lynn Johnson
Neal McDonough
as Jon Forster
Ben McKenzie
as Mike Stempt
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Leah Cairns
as Sara Pollard
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Stephen Moyer
as Guy LaForge

Crew

More like this

What are movies like 88 Minutes?

Movies like 88 Minutes include Untraceable (2008), Bad Samaritan (2018) and The Contract (2006). Of the 12 closest matches, half are serial-killer stories, and all are films set in the Pacific Northwest.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

4 of these 12 share its world: the criminal underworld. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with 88 Minutes?

980 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: conspiracy thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.