Customer Reviews

Five Minutes to Love

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Five Minutes to Love could have been a much better movie--but it isn't. I feel badly for these actors, too; they had talent and they deserved more than this somewhat awkward plot and a weak script. The quality of the print is poor (thank you once again, Alpha Video); but on the bright side the cinematography and the choreography actually work fairly well. The casting was good but the cast could only take this as far as the script would allow; and that's a shame.

When the action starts, we quickly meet Ben (Will Gregory) and his wife Edna (Gaye Gordon); they're a young couple on their way to San Diego where Ben can get work. Unfortunately, however, their old car breaks down and they need a starter--which brings Ben to a junkyard run by the rather disturbed sociopath Harry (Paul Leder) with his goons Blowhard (King Moody) and another guy who isn't even given a name in the script!

At the same time, the cops are after Harry because they know his junkyard is really a front for his racket--he has his buddies steal cars and then sell the parts for a profit; and they certainly don't mind using the dope he gives them, either. Factor in a rather loose woman Sally "Poochie" (Rue McClanahan) and you've got a volatile scenario with lots of dynamite. Sally tries to seduce Ben when he's at Harry's junkyard while Ben waits, thinking that they've ordered the starter part from another junkyard. Eventually, Edna herself gets into trouble with this gang when she and the baby come to the junkyard to find out what's taking Ben so long to return to their car with the part--Blowhard starts running after her!

Harry frames Ben for the stolen parts charge and the police rough Ben up quite a bit. They finally let Ben go only when Harry cuts a deal with the sergeant that they should blame the stolen parts racket on Blowhard.

The plot, of course, could go just about anywhere from here. Can "Poochie" seduce Ben? Does Blowhard get his way with Edna--and how can he beat taking the rap for the stolen parts charge? Will Ben and Edna be able to get out of there safely? And just how is Harry so easily able to work with the sergeant? No spoilers here--watch and find out!

Although the movie is OK for a night when you want to be entertained without having to think too much, it could have been much better. It suffers from a weak script and not everything about the plot is as realistic as I hoped for. If you want this, keep your expectations low and maybe that will make it seem better.