Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- heartfelt
- harrowing
- historical film night
- world war ii study
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film’s focus on an overlooked World War II resistance story and Christian Friedel’s performance, while finding its emotional treatment overly sentimental and unsubtle.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The story foregrounds Georg Elser, an underrepresented German resistance figure who attempted to kill Hitler in 1939.
The film’s suspense centers on Elser’s bomb plot and the circumstances surrounding his attempt to kill Hitler.
The title and premise hinge on the bomb missing Hitler’s presence by thirteen minutes, making timing central to the tragedy.
Elser’s personal relationships and convictions unfold while Nazi power dominates German society in 1939.
Films like 13 Minutes, and why
Sophie Scholl – The Final Days
historical resistance drama centered on an individual confronting Nazi power, with moral seriousness and suspense
The Counterfeiters
German-language World War II historical drama portraying resistance against Nazism through a focused personal story
Valkyrie
biographical war drama about a determined individual whose actions challenge an authoritarian regime
The Lives of Others
European historical drama combining political persecution, moral conviction, and restrained emotional intensity
Movie Details
- Director
- Oliver Hirschbiegel
- Release Date
- 2015-04-09
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (318)
Cast
- Christian Friedel
- Katharina Schüttler
- Burghart Klaußner
- Johann von Bülow
- Felix Eitner
- David Zimmerschied
- Rüdiger Klink
- Oliver Bigalke
- Cornelia Köndgen
- Martin Maria Abram
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is 13 Minutes about?
- A determined German craftsman risks everything on a meticulously timed attempt to stop Hitler before dictatorship consumes Europe.
- What is 13 Minutes like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of 13 Minutes as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is 13 Minutes violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in 13 Minutes as moderate.
- What did critics think of 13 Minutes?
- Critics broadly praised the film’s focus on an overlooked World War II resistance story and Christian Friedel’s performance, while finding its emotional treatment overly sentimental and unsubtle.
- Which films are like 13 Minutes?
- Films with a similar feel include Sophie Scholl – The Final Days, The Counterfeiters, Valkyrie, and The Lives of Others.
- How long is 13 Minutes?
- 13 Minutes runs 114 minutes.
- Where can I watch 13 Minutes?
- In United States, 13 Minutes is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
