Real Time (2008)

Absolutely Brilliant!

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Smart melancholic drama filled with clever dialog. Randy Quaid shows his chops as tough as nails hit man with a secret and Jay Baruchel is convincing as a beyond hope gambler with nothing to lose. The plot is uneventful but the chemistry between these two characters carries the story to its clever end. A brief appearance by Jayne Eastwood as Andy's grandmother helps to carry the films theme of luck vs self determination in a short but enjoyable scene. I walked away feeling rewarded for my patience and thinking just a little. Good stuff.

Not sure which movie rstone and prake saw, but it couldn't have been the same one I did. To be fair this movie probably isn't everyone's cup of tea. It's not a 'Fast and the Furious' action film. It's not a 'Quantum of Solace' suspense film either. It's about a guy, Andy - played by Jay Baruchel, that has thrown his life away by getting hooked on gambling. Baruchel plays the part with the same desperation of addicts striving for one more fix, be it a drug, alcohol, or gambling. And he nails the way that his character seems to point the finger about the way his life turned out everywhere but at himself. It's also about the guy , Rueben - played by Quaid, that takes the job to kill him. I won't lie and tel you I came expecting anything other than am action suspense flick. What I found instead was a story that was marvelously crafted in the 78-odd minutes. I became immersed in it. I cared about the characters, the loser Andy and the rough breaks he had that really just came from his own actions and choices in life, and the solemn enforcer Rueben, tasked with killing someone he knows but determined to give him one chance to, in an hour or so, to make something good. You get some humor, some gun play, but instead of relying on the quick and cheap thrills to make his point, the director relies on the way you are invested in the story to make the film. And you do become invested in it. Maybe it's just that I lost my wife in Dec 2007 to a one car accident that makes me a little introspective when it comes to movies where impending death is the main theme and your choices or ability to choose what you do with your time left are integral to the story. I might not vote this one number one for 2008, but it would definitely be in my top ten. And it was definitely worth the watch.

I noticed a posting "Best film of the Toronto Film Festival" -- now that had to be one of the WORST film Festivals I have EVER heard of.Randy Quaid and Jay Baruchel did their jobs as far as the acting goes, but come on??????? --- wheres the story? There is no way on this green earth that a hard ass hit man is going to go that route.This was boring, long drawn out BS.... another total waste of time. -- What is with the film industry today? Has our economy gotten so bad that they have to stoop to low budget crap to infiltrate the market just to give us something to watch? Jeeeezzzzzzz Come ON PLEASE!!!!!!!. How can anyone give this a 10? 3 at best.

i watched this and OMG a great movie, a great ending. A sublime movie within a movie after you see it once and the ending you have to watch it again, the first time you see it tells you a whole new movie now that you know, you watch it again and see it from a different perspective.is a bit slow to start of and there is no action like most Hollywood dumps that are coming out, but if you want to see a great story this film will entertain you.Hollywood should do more like this VION- Virtual Internet Online Navagitor