***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** In this funny little world in which we all live everyone chooses to what extent they will react, conform, or resist. "Your Three Minutes Are Up" shows us two very different characters: there is Charlie, who tends to conform to society's pressure and the pressure put upon him by his job, his fiancé, and his friends; and there is Mike, who resists everything displeasing to him such as his job, romantic commitments, and bill collectors. "Your Three Minutes Are Up" shows us what happens when these two men are placed together and how the more submissive of the two attempts to imitate the other.
Ron Leibman is Mike, an easy going ladies man who is bright enough to make the most out of modest scams whenever they present themselves, but without the forethought or concern to plan for the future, which may or may not be a character flaw. Beau Bridges plays Charlie, who is nearly the exact opposite as a man whose only thought of the future involve the bills he must pay, the woman he must marry, and the job he must keep. He appears to envy Mike's carefree attitudes and romantic success, but can he resist a lifetime of conforming long enough to have a good time on this movie's road trip?
The beginning of the film shows Mike losing hold of his financial grip as his car is repo'd, his unemployment insurance is cancelled because he went to an interview in a bath robe (as described by his benefits case worker, not actually shown), and his money has run out. He calls an ex-coworker with whom he has nothing in common, but who has a car, and persuades him to go for a ride that turns into a weekend road trip.
Charlie is the kind of guy who can't say 'no' to anyone unless it's because someone else has told him to do so. Allured by Mike's tall tales of romance and good times and the chance to breathe free from his burdens for even a minute, Charlie acquiesces, and off they go. Their first stop is something that the younger viewers might not remember--a green stamp redemption center where Mike makes a stand against a stubborn clerk who insists that six twelfths is not the same as one half. It's just another in a long series of petty scams for Mike, strictly small time for him, but it's like a magic potion for Charlie to do something against the rules. Only such a strict conformist as Charlie could get so much pleasure from copping a toaster oven.
So it goes for Mike and Charlie during their little road trip. Mike shows Charlie how to get by on the simplest grift, but as Charlie's inhibitions to obeying the law, the rules, and all the signposts along society's streets are released, he seems to have an extreme reaction to his newfound freedom. Mike knows how to play the angle just right and squeeze every ounce of cash from each opportunity, but Charlie can't understand the subtleties of the game. For him it's either blind obedience or, eventually, blind aggression.
In addition to being the title, "Your Three Minutes Are Up" is a line from within the film that comes to symbolize Charlie's need to be told what to do and when to do it. When his three minutes of freedom are up and he has to choose what path to take, his true character is revealed.
Ron Leibman is fantastic in this movie as a fast-talking scam artist who can lie, flatter, or rebuke with eloquence. Not available through normal channels on VHS, but several specialty shops have it for sale. Otherwise, watch the late night listings and set your VCR. This is one of the best movies from its period.
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