Mudando de Vida

Although several threads coexist with the principal storyline during the course of this low-budgeted eccentric character study of a single Brooklyn man, George Trapani (John Lefkowitz), who works as a printer at his family's business, and who has never moved away from his parents' home to be on his own, the work nevertheless impresses as being from the Slice Of Life cinema genre, wherein nearly any of the episodic scenes may be eliminated without having even scant effect upon such normally significant plot elements as exposition, conflict and climax, each barely present in this film. George correctly believes that he is mired within a well-trodden relationship with scatterbrain Flo (Maureen Byrnes), a waitress, and is highly frustrated with the quotidian nature of his existence. The choppily rhythmed picture portrays his clumsy attempts to alter a lifestyle that he increasingly dislikes as his thirtieth birthday approaches; however, it becomes increasingly obvious that a drastically naive George may indeed lack any sort of ability required for adaptation to a higher than jejune mode of living. Filmed largely in New York City, this piece revolves the daily activities of commonplace metropolitan area citizenry, and benefits from a good deal of cogently naturalistic dialogue in addition to some inventive camera-work contributed by Burleigh Wartes. It is the only credited film for Lefkowitz, portraying a man who rebels against his drab lot, while a majority of the other principal players show but few roles in their portfolios. Frank Quinn wins the acting honours as a sleazy film producer. The film has been re-released upon a Hollywood Entertainment DVD, retitled HURRY UP, OR I'LL BE THIRTY, that is rather shabby in the technical sense, and its cover is primarily taken up by the close-up visage and name of Danny DeVito, plainly a marketing strategy since his part is of only middling importance for the scenario.