"Weapons are loaded by the devil and unloaded by the stupid"

Title: 96 Minutes
Year: 2011
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Director: Aimee Lagos
Writer: Aimee Lagos
Runtime: 93 minutes
Cast: Brittany Snow, Christian Serratos, Evans Ross, Jonathan Michael Trautmann, David Oyelowo
Produc.: First Point Entertainment, Katonah Pictures, Perfect Weekend

Inspired by real events, 96 minutes is a very well made film that cares, more than anything, to show us the society that we have come to built. Recreating the events that would lead four people from two very different worlds to spend a stressful situation that would change them forever, director Aimee Lagos takes the trouble of calling our attention, to remember us that we are all, even if we don´t like it, part of a society that is increasingly going down. 

One can be born in a privilege position, in a family with high or medium-sized financial possibilities and a rich cultural level. This probably means that one will have more options, at the moment of making certain choices in the right direction. Or in the case that they were not, presumably there would always be time to retrace the steps and try another way. This is the fate of those who were born in "golden cradle", but that are a small group. For these privileged ones, to meet someone of the most marginalized sector could wipe out their joys. 

Carley and Lena (Brittany Snow and Christian Serratos) are two smart college girls. In Carley´s case it is made quite clear when she is seen in action with her debating group where, faced with their opponents, they exchange with strong determination, their different viewspoints on the treatment that should be given to criminals. Then, in Lena´s case, she is shown in other circumstances, suffering from an unfaithful boyfriend. 

On the opposite side we have Dre (Evan Ross) and Kevin (Jonathan Michael Trautmann), two boys born under difficult conditions and to whom is terribly hard to distinguish the fine line that separates the good from the bad behavior. 

We know Dre as a boy who goes to class, that is, that strives to make himself a future. Today, precisely, when he is about to receive an important and encouraging high qualification, something to be proud of. After the good news Dre meets his girlfriend, whom he updates, but when she talks about meeting later, Dre says that he can´t because he is catching up with his friends. Kisha (Jamila Thompson) tries to talk him out of joining those people, to what Dre, apparently sure of his arguments, insist on knowing exactly what he is doing. 

Despite his unfortunate attitude, Andre ends up not being quite the person we should be worrying about. Kevin, however, is here, the time bomb. 

Kevin, among the characters, is the one who has it worst. With a background that leaves much to be desired, the poor boy has no idea of what to do or what he is getting into. His every day consiste in acting on impulse, believing he can do what he pleases. Yet, he ends up letting himself be manipulated by the worst of the influences, a bunch of guys who look really bad, individuals lacking of the sense of civilized behavior. 

The fact that before, I described Kevin with the adjective of "poor", may sound wrong to many, and more if it is taken into considetarion the atrocities that he is about to do. What happens is that, if one actually stopped to think of it, perhaps could understand that this guy is not what we see, just because this is what he always wanted. With the kind of existence that leads, with, for example, a mother who is beaten, we are talking about a guy whose role models are not the most helpful. Adding to this that Kevin has set as a target to be accepted by the gang, have full access to guns and shoot to death anyone he wants, is the same as to indicate that Kevin is lost, has no idea of what he is dealing with, nor what is to comit a felony. Kevin is angry, who knows if with someone in particular or with everybody, given the so screwed up environment he has come to call "home". 

Night falls and Carley and Lena go have fun to a bar. There, Lena sees her boyfriend from the distance and that anguish her. Lena now wants to leave when the party is just beginning, but fortunately, the very sweet Carley offeres to drive her back. 

Unfortunately, sometimes without realizing it we are taking a decision at the wrong moment. Carley and Lena go toward their vehicle, just as two other boys are coming close (Dre and Kevin), one of which is at his worst (Kevin) of the day. Then, the destinies of this four people from two opposite realities, intersect, and comes the disaster. 

Carley and Lena are in their own car, prisoners of a stranger, and Lena has been seriously wounded. Dre, who is the one driving and who could already be prosecuted for assault and kidnapping, begins to operate without a fixed course, but his goal is to reach a hospital. His seatmate, aware of what happens but terrified and angry, knows that he is going to jail and prefers his freedom, to the girl to survive. Therefore, no health center is an option. 

Dre tries to think. The stupid of Kevin, who won´t stop speaking, does not allows him to do so, and on top he turns on the radio to get distracted with his damn music. Nothing good can come out of all this. 

96 minutes is of those movies where everything goes from bad to worse, but has a great lesson that tells us to be aware of who we are, of whom we coexist with, and that sometimes we “do have" options, and use them depends only on us. 

Thanks to a very good work of handheld camera and a well-chosen cast, was that Aimee Lagos would manage to show us as near as possible, and also, in the more realistic way, how is that a conflict that looks like hell, takes place. 

My rating: 8/10

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