Hurry Up, Or I'll Be 30 - Danny DeVito

Hurry Up, Or I'll Be 30 - is a particularly delightful and engaging film from 1973 that features a young Danny DeVito in one of his early screen roles. Directed by Joseph Jacoby, the film is essentially a charmingly nostalgic look at the life of a young man coping with the pressures of growing up and the inevitable journey into adulthood.

The film's leading character, Jake (portrayed by John Lefkowitz), is a 28-year-old man who seems to be still trapped in the carefree mindset of his teenage years. He joins the ranks of characters such as George Bailey from It's a Wonderful Life, or later Ben Braddock of The Graduate, as young men struggling to realize their potential and find their place in the adult world. In the midst of this internal struggle, Jake deals with an uninspiring job and murky romantic relationships while challenging societal norms and expectations.

Throughout the course of the film, Jake juggles his relationship with his girlfriend Donna who is played with striking sincerity by Linda De Coff and friendships stuck in perpetual adolescence. Persistent are his demands for more time to remain untethered to adult responsibilities, hence the title, Hurry Up, Or I’ll Be 30. At 28, he feels the looming milestone of 30 and the anticipated leap into adulthood, sends him into a whirlwind of rebellious denial and existential dread.

Making an appearance as Petey is Danny DeVito, who not only adds a punch of comedy to the film but also an element of humble reality to this sensitive tale. DeVito’s presence provides a touch of humor and sophomoric wisdom that lightens the serious undertones of the plot and presents a beacon of pragmatic wisdom, subtly impactful in his supporting role.

Ronald Anton impresses with his role as Spook, one of Jake’s childhood friends. The character stands as a symbol of maturity and impending adulthood that Jake dreads reaching, yet simultaneously wishes to accept. The essence of their friendship subtly highlights the nostalgia of leaving behind the simplicity of childhood and stepping into the more complex realm of adult lives and responsibilities.

The film beautifully captures the emotional turmoil and the subtle nuances of growing up and surrenders Jake to the unavoidable flow of life and of time moving constantly forward. Jacoby’s direction beckons the viewer to not only sympathize with Jake’s confusion but also prompts self-reflection. The film acts as a coming-of-age tale meant not only for the youths embarking into adulthood, but for any individual struggling to reconcile with the passing of time and the anxiety about the future that it fuels.

The film’s scripting brilliantly sets Jake’s story against the familiar backdrop of a gritty and realistic New York City, giving it an added layer of relatability. The nuances of the city life, the unique language of the streets, and the personalized stories of the city’s denizens serve to greatly amplify the message of the film and its central theme of our collective struggle with the march of time.

Hurry Up, Or I'll Be 30, with its evocative storyline, genuine performances, and realistic portrayal of life's inevitable transitions, takes the viewers on an unforgettable cinematic journey. It's not often that a film manages to tackle the universally pertinent themes of fading youth, acceptance of adulthood, and coming to terms with the responsibilities that come with it so deftly and truthfully.

The film serves not merely as a peak into an era long past, but as a timeless exploration into the human condition. It is a carefully crafted blend of heartfelt humor, poignant reality checks, and touching human drama. Through its unique, rather underexplored storyline, it succeeds in presenting an insightful and sentimental examination of life as we know it.

Whether you're pushing thirty or indeed any age, you'll undoubtedly find something worth relating to in Hurry Up, Or I'll Be 30 – a sincere and touching account of coming to terms with life’s inevitable progress and the acceptance of our places within it.