Short Time

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Short Time

PG-13

1990

1h 37m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

29%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

As a result of a misdiagnosis, Detective Burt Simpson (Dabney Coleman) is told he has just weeks to live. He gains a new respect for his life and loved ones but learns that in order for his wife, Carolyn (Teri Garr), and son, Dougie (Kaj-Erik Eriksen), to collect any insurance money, he must be killed in the line of duty. He then becomes the most reckless man on the police force, volunteering for dangerous assignments over the objections of his by-the-book partner, Ernie Dills (Matt Frewer).

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

01/01/2000

2/4

We are safely in sitcom country, and this is another one of those movies that is careful not to give the audience too much to worry or think about.

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

11/18/2022

Short Time is often gracious, almost forced, but without pushing too hard. [Full review in Spanish]

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Philip French

Observer (UK)

11/02/2022

Coleman is endearing, but an initially ruthless comedy-thriller is given a near-fatal injection of ruth at the halfway mark.

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Chuck O'Leary

Fantastica Daily

09/01/2005

2/5

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

08/17/2005

2/5

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

10/25/2002

2/5

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02/04/2019

A good dramedy. Never trust doctors and watch this movie.

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03/21/2018

Interesting but not overly funny. A misdiagnosed officer is told he will die in a couple weeks and tries to get killed in the line of duty so his family will be taken care of after he's gone.

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03/25/2017

Good movie. Not much a comedy, good script.

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06/11/2015

THIS ONE'S FOR YOU DOUGIE! YOURE GOING TO COLLEGE!

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10/29/2012

Lee Dae-Ro Can't Die is a funny remake of this flick and doesn't have it's own entry. Awesome cartoonish direction with a bar-setting freeze-cam. Slapstick police humor with a lazy single father. A bit sappy at times, but overall it's a light-hearted look at death.

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01/22/2012

Haha love this movie

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Gregg Champion

Director

Dabney Coleman

Burt Simpson

Matt Frewer

Ernie Dills

Teri Garr

Carolyn Simpson

Barry Corbin

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Synopsis

As a result of a misdiagnosis, Detective Burt Simpson (Dabney Coleman) is told he has just weeks to live. He gains a new respect for his life and loved ones but learns that in order for his wife, Carolyn (Teri Garr), and son, Dougie (Kaj-Erik Eriksen), to collect any insurance money, he must be killed in the line of duty. He then becomes the most reckless man on the police force, volunteering for dangerous assignments over the objections of his by-the-book partner, Ernie Dills (Matt Frewer).

Director: Gregg Champion
Producer: Todd Black, Courtney Silberberg
Screenwriter: John Blumenthal, Michael Berry
Production Co: Gladden Entertainment
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.5M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Stereo