13 Minutes

Insofar as its saccharine, Lifetime-movie-esque depiction of the bigness of small-town lives, 13 Minutes works. But as a disaster movie, it fails.

This effort will satisfy neither those looking for sensitive, character-driven drama nor disaster movie fans, the latter of whom will be disappointed by the relative lack of cinematic mayhem.

Written and directed with an overload of talent by Lindsay Gossling, it rarely falters and leaves a viewer grateful for a whirlwind of character-driven suspense and humanity instead of the usual Hollywood cliches.

The production values are a bit too pedestrian to elevate this much above the ordinary.

Uncomplicated and undemanding, 13 Minutes is a fine way to while away an afternoon.

What's odd about the film's finale is the lack of interest that it has in the themes of redemption or renewal.

If Gossling was trying to say something about diversity in the mid-west as I suspect she was, the cringey dialogue needed to be far less on the nose and her characters not as frustratingly silly.

The film follows in the grand tradition of clunky ensemble flicks that are totally devoid of substance. The only difference here is that most of those movies are lighthearted and actually fun to watch. 13 Minutes isn't fun, nor is it meant to be.

An intense and personal character study not only of individuals but of them collectively and as a community, as a town; a slice of life in Anytown, USA. Powerful. Heartbreaking. Hopeful.

Shallow redneck stereotypes undermine the intended message of healing and humanity in the face of tragedy.