Dead on Time

Doctor Nigel Hawthorne tells patient Rowan Atkinson that he will be dead in thirty minutes. Atkinson then runs around Covent Garden -- that's where Hawthorne's practice is -- trying to accomplish something in thirty minutes and give meaning to his life. But the lines are too long, the people too dull, and the shops too closed to do it.

It's an early outing for a bunch of talent, including co-writer Richard Curtis -- explaining why Atkinson's character is named Bernard -- as well as performers like Peter Bull,Peter Biggins, Rupert Everett, Jim Broadbent, and Greta Scacchi. Curtis has always said he's had an easier ride than most people in the industry. That's because he gives them something in return.