Nick of Time

Unfolding in real time, Nick of Time follows Johnny Depp’s mild-mannered Gene Watson as he’s accosted by a sinister figure (Christopher Walken’s Mr. Smith) and blackmailed into murdering a local politician (Marsha Mason’s Eleanor Grant). It’s an irresistible premise that’s executed to continually entertaining and sporadically engrossing effect by filmmaker John Badham, and there’s little doubt that Nick of Time‘s success is due in no small part to Depp’s charismatic efforts as the everyman protagonist – with the actor’s affable performance ensuring that Gene instantly becomes a sympathetic figure. Depp’s consistently solid turn here is, admittedly, often overshadowed by Walken’s absolutely electric (and unapologetically scenery-chewing) work as the movie’s menacing villain, while the picture certainly benefits from the presence of an eclectic supporting cast that includes Charles S. Dutton, Bill Smitrovich, and Roma Maffia. The real-time gimmick, though, doesn’t quite pay off to the extent one might’ve hoped – ie there’s no real sense of escalation here – and the inclusion of a dream sequence at around the midpoint feels like a shameless attempt to infuse the picture with action (it just doesn’t feel organic, ultimately). It’s nevertheless difficult to deny Nick of Time‘s status as a solid thriller that neatly and efficiently gets the job done, with the film’s better-than-expected atmosphere perpetuated by Badham’s stylish direction and an appropriately brisk running time.

*** out of ****