When characters shout at each other during most of a movie, you know it’s in serious trouble. While watching 15 Minutes, I wanted to rush out and buy earplugs. Knowing I’d be tempted not to return, I stayed --- and endured the relentless yelling of two usually fine actors. Sadly, the talents of both Robert De Niro and Edward Burns, who play a New York City homicide detective and fire marshal respectively, are drowned out by the noise of this in-your-face crime drama. And neither star can rescue 15 Minutes from its mean-spirited plot about committing crimes to get media attention.

Inspired by Andy Warhol’s prediction, "In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes," writer/director John Herzfeld decided to create a movie showing just how far some people will go in order to become celebrities. His criminal fame-seekers are Emil Slovak (Karel Roden) and Oleg Razgul (Oleg Taktarov), immigrants from Eastern Europe who want to live the American Dream.

Emil and Oleg film their first murders, then set fire to the victims’ apartment. They soon come to believe that a filmed killing of someone famous will assure their exposure on television as well as lucrative film rights. They are counting on America’s insatiable appetite for infotainment. Do they worry about punishment? Of course not. There’s always the insanity plea. "I love America. No one is responsible for what they do here," one of them explains.

After capturing a famous police detective (De Niro), they negotiate with a tabloid television news anchor (Kelsey Grammer) who promises to air their video. Standing in the way of these diabolical plans is a brave arson investigator (Burns) --- a man not intimidated by television cameras or burning buildings.

Although the concept behind 15 Minutes seems promising, Herzfeld carries it to extremes. He paints almost everyone with the same brash brush. There are no shades of subtlety here. The criminals are bad; the lawyers are bad; the judges are bad; the media people are bad; the viewers are bad; etc. Only the fire marshal character escapes this scathing depiction. Unfortunately, Burns appears unsuited for such a heroic role. It’s like he’s in another movie --- which he probably wishes were true. Burns is much better in films he writes and directs himself (such as his poignant comedy The Brothers McMullen).

Like Burns, both De Niro and Grammer have delivered more convincing performances elsewhere. Although excelling in his violent capture scene, two-time Oscar-winner De Niro (Raging Bull, The Godfather II) shows little of his legendary charisma in this film. However, Grammer emerges as the movie’s biggest casting mistake. Well-loved for his comic television portrayal of the egocentric Frasier, Grammer is difficult to accept in any other role. He’s just too terrific in that Emmy-winning series.

Filmmaker Herzfeld should also be proud of his own previous work. His first feature film, 2 Days in the Valley, impressed me with its unique style and intriguing character-driven plot. In addition, he won a Directors Guild of America Award and earned an Emmy nomination for his HBO film Don King: Only in America. Hopefully, this talented director will get back on track with his next project.

(Released by New Line Cinema and rated "R" for strong violence, language, nudity, and some sexuality.)