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Short Time

Name: Short Time
Director: Gregg Champion
Released: 1990
Duration: 97 min

Representation Score

4.3/10

Fair

1990

PG-13

Director

Gregg Champion

Runtime

97 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Short Time is a conventional 1990s action-comedy that adheres to traditional storytelling norms. The narrative structure revolves around masculine ability to act and the preservation of the nuclear family unit. The film relies on well-established genre clichés, using a medical crisis to drive a standard plot arc. It does not challenge social hierarchies or provide perspectives that reflect multiple aspects of identity. Ultimately, the film operates within the standard framework of the era, focusing on a protagonist navigating institutional systems to benefit his immediate family.

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Category Breakdown

Does Short Time have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film portrays a traditional family structure where everyone is assumed to be straight and cisgender. There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities.

How does Short Time portray gender?

Fair

The story emphasizes the male character's professional role and decision-making. The female character is primarily shown as benefiting from the male character's actions.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Short Time?

Limited

The narrative follows typical 1990s industry standards with no indication of a diverse or non-Anglo-Saxon majority cast.

How does Short Time represent religion and culture?

Limited

Themes of mortality are explored through a traditional Western perspective. The plot reinforces the conventional idea of the male provider and the nuclear family.

Does Short Time include disability representation?

Fair

A medical misdiagnosis serves as a plot device to drive reckless behavior. The condition is used as a narrative device rather than a detailed exploration of the illness.

Present on Screen

The plot uses a medical misdiagnosis to create high-stakes tension and motivate the main character.

Limited or Absent

The film relies on traditional gender roles and domestic clichés.
The narrative lacks diverse casting and characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity.
Disability is used as a plot device rather than a nuanced character study.

Official Synopsis

As a result of a misdiagnosis, Detective Burt Simpson 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, and son, Dougie, 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.

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