“Sixty Minutes” (Original Title: 60 Minuten) is the new German action adventure thriller film streaming on Netflix. Directed by Oliver Kienle, this exciting movie follows a mixed martial arts fighter fighting some tough odds to get to his daughter’s birthday party celebration. The film’s screenplay, written by Kienle with Philip Koch, structures it eerily similar to the 1998 action thriller film – “Run Lola Run.” Here, too, we see the central character running out of time while juggling between multiple tasks simultaneously. Throughout the film, we see him trying to turn the impossible into possible. Does he succeed? To know the answer, keep reading! Spoilers ahead.
Sixty Minutes (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
What is ‘Sixty Minutes’ on Netflix about?
“Sixty Minutes” (German Title: 60 Minuten) on Netflix follows Mixed Martial Arts fighter Octavio, who finds himself in a particularly tough spot. He has just 60 minutes to make it to his daughter’s birthday party – or he will lose her custody forever. On the other hand, he has to take part in a fight and win – or he will find himself going against some dangerous criminals. What will Octavio do in such a complex situation? Will Octavio have everything he wants? Or will he lose the things that matter to him? Let’s find out.
What happens in ‘Sixty Minutes’ on Netflix?
“Sixty Minutes” on Netflix begins with its protagonist – Mixed Martial Arts fighter Octavio Bergmann (Emilio Sakraya), trying to come up with words to write on a greeting card for his daughter – Leonie. She had not eaten anything and kept waiting for Octavio to bring the birthday cake. So, it was important for him not to miss her birthday at any cost. On the same day, he was set to fight Benko, and there was more at stake. There were bets made on Octavio’s win. So, he could not risk losing it at any cost.
But, when Octavio is about to start fighting, his ex-wife Mina (played by Livia Matthes) calls him and gives him an ultimatum – he must reach home by 6 for her birthday, or he will miss her custody forever. Octavio cannot risk it, especially after his poor history of parenting. That is probably what made the situation reach such an extreme – where his wife threatened him with such a legal action. But that’s not important for the film. Enough of emotional nuance and depth. Let’s get back to spicy action and a guilt-ridden male protagonist going into a ‘risk it all’ territory to provide us with an adrenaline rush.
Why does Octavio decide not to fight at the last minute?
Octavio stands to lose his daughter’s custody, which he doesn’t want to happen. Mina wants him to bring the cake & the kitten from an animal shelter, as he promised Leonie. Because of this, Octavio decides to bail on the match at the last minute. However, this means he has to face the consequences of his reckless actions. His business partner for the boxing facility – Cosima (played by Marie Mouroum), understands his tricky relationship with his daughter. But his friend & manager Paul Lehmann (played by Dennis Mojen) ends up betraying him. He tries to stop Octavio from leaving abruptly. But Octavio is ready to risk it all for his family.
Here’s the catch. Once Octavio leaves the boxing ring, he realizes that some goons are following him. Soon after, he realizes that Paul has something to do with it. Turns out, Paul was working under the orders of someone named Chino. The match was fixed, and Benko was going to lose the match because Octavio’s win would ensure Chino’s win in a bet. Now, Chino will lose all the money he bet if Octavio does not return to the boxing ring. Nevertheless, Octavio wants to prove that he is a good father. So, he decides to fight the goons, who are stopping him from making it to his daughter’s birthday on time.
Does Octavio succeed in his goal?
With Cosima & Anika’s help, Octavio fights the goons and runs away. But, along the way, he runs into the police and gets arrested for insulting them. While the police drive him away, Chino’s goons follow him. But Octavio manages to sneak out of the place. Then, he finds himself next to Chino’s brother, who smashes the cake he bought for Leonie. So, Octavio beats Chino’s brother hard. Then, he gets followed by his would-be opponent Benko, who also bet on Octavio’s win. Suddenly, Rico comes to save Octavio. But he has his own agenda.
Moments after, Octavio finds himself tied to a chair, speaking with a woman named Danica. She interrogates him. Through their conversation, Octavio learns that she was after Chino. Since Octavio ran away for a family-related reason, Danica altered her plan. She decides to use Octavio to get hold of Chino. Once again, Octavio escapes. Benko’s men follow him, but he outwits them. Then, he learns that Paul is helping Chino track his location. So, he refuses to trust this friend who betrayed him.
How is Octavio’s bond with his parents?
Octavio runs into his parents, and it becomes clear that he doesn’t have a good relationship with them. It seems like familial issues were also present in his past. Octavio also had Leonie when he was barely 19 years old – a kid himself, not mature enough to understand how the world works, let alone take responsibility for a human being. Well, in his run-for-life scenario, Octavio finally decides to step back and fight instead of being on the run. Octavio makes sure that the police get hold of the criminals while he gets hold of the kitten he promised to give Leonie from an animal shelter.
Sixty Minutes (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
Does Octavio make up for Leonie’s birthday?
Octavio gets hold of the kitten he promised to gift Leonie. But at the last minute, Chino arrives with goons to fight him. He threatens to turn Octavio & Paul’s lives into a living hell. Moments later, the mafias arrive and add to the conflict. Paul tries to flee with Octavio. But Chino follows them and tries to shoot Octavio dead. Then, Cosimo arrives there and helps Octavio intimidate Chino. They get into an intense fight that leads to a tragic end for one of the parties.
At the end of ‘Sixty Minutes’ on Netflix, we see Octavio’s body give up on him after his fight with Chino. Somehow, he gets hold of a kitten and hands it over to Leonie, who happens to reach there. While she calls out her father’s name, Chino loses his momentum & falls to the ground. Unlike Chino, Octavio gets a bittersweet ending at the end of 60 minutes. He meets Leonie and hands over a gift – to prove his commitment to her and to their family. Mina also sees them as a sign of peace and happiness. It looks like the issues in their family might just end with this sweet reunion.
Sixty Minutes (2024) Movie Review
From the moment “Sixty Minutes” opens, it seems heavily inspired by “Run Lola Run.” You see the ‘run-for-life’ trope being used, but not with the same level of expertise as the older, experimental film. Over here, it feels more like an algorithmic pastiche of several cliches. You see a man with a terrible past. He couldn’t be there for his family, and at a crucial moment, he wanted to be there for them. This is because he wants to prove he is not worthless as a father. The film introduces these points but never fully explores them. To a degree, it is understandable. You have only a limited time to show his thrilling journey.
But on account of an adrenaline rush, one cannot excuse the lack of emotional connection – especially when you have examples like “Good Times” & “Uncut Gems” at hand. Safdie brothers manage to make us root, care, and occasionally empathise with their characters, who are not ideal or particularly likable. But that doesn’t matter when you feel a sense of breathlessness along with a genuine concern for Adam Sandler’s or Robert Pattinson’s characters. In “Sixty Minutes,” we do feel the sense of breathlessness, thanks to its snappy editing. But that is not enough to salvage this forgettable drama. Emotion is there, but just isn’t as fleshed out as it should have been.
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