User reviews

It plays out as a Godfather type of movie except that that you quickly realise that though these people live by the same rules as the Mafia they are merely running a fast food joint. Obviously when you are trying to do this kind of movie you have to balance the humour carefully so as not to bore the viewer. I have to say that while they generally succeed there are moments when I think the gag has gone on too long. But it soon moves on to some other aspect of the joints dubious business practises. True no fast food joint could hope to survive by assaulting its customers and staff but then it's not the sort of movie you are supposed to believe. As a movie its definitely worth watching but probably not with a mouthful of fries.

I loved it, but I usually know who to recommend it to. Seeing the 4 films on which it was based help you get the jokes, but you have to love those films, their characters and dialogue to appreciate the comedy fully. You know which scenes are being parodied in most cases in the first shot of each scene. I know a lot of people "get it" but fail to appreciate that this film took 4 of the best dramas in the past 30 years, and parodied them while paying tribute to them. Comedy runs mostly on exaggeration, this is why the impressions were funny. The De Niro did not have to be dead on nor was it intended to be. You already know these things I guess, and are more interested in laughs than the mechanics of it. It's not my intent to force my opinion and tell you that you should be laughing all the way to credits. But to point out that credit is due for any well made film not produced solely on how broad an audience it would reach. In these times of Comic book hero movies built around special FX and merchandising, here walk the true heros. 15 minutes can't be too long if its all in good fun. The real nightmare is when they take a great like Taxi Driver or Manchurian Candidate, and re-make it as if it will be better than the real thing. Millions are sitting through 2-3 hours of cinematic sacriledge all summer. Fifteen Minutes won't kill you.. unless it stars De Niro, don't slip like that again Bobby.

This short is a parody of various Martin Scorsese films (mostly "Casino" and "Goodfellas", but a dash of "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull" as well) but set in a burger joint. Tom Fahn does an all right DeNiro. But Johnathan should just stick with directing. At 11 minutes it gets old, it could have been cut down be half. A few laughs, but a FAR better "Goodfellas" parody was a skit on "Mr. Show". Not to be confused with the other 4 films named "Fast Food" or the delightful videogame from the early 80's of the same name.

My Short Grade: C

Where I saw it: Atom Films