3:15 - The Moment of Truth

Plot

Street gang member Jeff (Adam Baldwin) leaves the organization, seeking out a quieter existence. Meanwhile, gang leader Cinco (Danny De La Paz) and his minions have taken over the local high school, dispensing drugs with impunity. When Cinco is arrested, a rumor spreads that he's been sold out by Jeff. In the ensuing hostilities, Jeff's girlfriend (Deborah Foreman) is beaten and bloodied. A showdown is inevitable, and, per the film's title, it takes place just after the last school bell has rung. Filmed in 1984, 3:15 - The Moment of Truth wasn't released until 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Review

This riff on the juvenile-delinquent genre tries to mix up the format a bit but doesn't feel like a fully realized piece of work. The script basically proposes a High Noon-style standoff between two former friends in a high school. The story is interesting when it goes in an allegorical direction -- like an intriguing scene where the hero talks with his coach about how none of the adult institutions around him are capable of protecting him -- but aside from the hero, the characterizations are mostly hastily-sketched stereotypes, especially the generic "crazy" gang-leader villain, and the plot details are dealt out in a sloppy, erratic manner. Director Larry Gross maintains a solid pace and musters up the occasional impressive visual flourish, like a montage that precedes the final showdown. However, his visual style is schizophrenic because it never commits to having a gritty inner-city school look or a more suburban, John Hughes-influenced visual style and confusingly tries to pull off both at once. In terms of acting, Adam Baldwin offers a low-key yet charismatic performance as the hero and Deborah Foreman adds nice support as his romantic interest but the gang members all wildly overplay their roles (and it doesn't help that all the "students" appear to be in their mid-to-late 20's). Even the title showdown plays out in an underwhelming and half-baked style. In short, 3:15: The Moment Of Truth gets points for experimenting with its genre but ultimately comes off as an interesting misfire. ~ Donald Guarisco, Rovi

Cast

• Adam Baldwin - Jeff Hannah
• Deborah Foreman - Sherry Havilland
• René Auberjonois - Principal Horner
• Ed Lauter - Morgan
• Scott McGinnis - Chris

Danny De La Paz - Cinco; John Scott Clough - Jim; Mario Van Peebles - Whisperer; Jesse Aragon - Smiley; Wendy Barry - Lora; Bradford Bancroft - Whitey; Joseph Brutsman - Norman; Wayne Crawford - Draper; Lori Eastside - Patch; Jeb Ellis-Brown - Ponch; Panchito Gomez - Chooch; Nancy Locke Hauser - Mrs. Havilland; Wings Hauser - Mr. Havilland; John Achorn - Teacher in Hallway; Mary Betten - Mrs.Barts; Kendall Carly Browne - French Teacher; Dean Devlin - Gum Chewer; Candace Galvane - Messenger; Gina Gershon - Cobrette; David W. Harper - Payoff Guy; Van Quattro - Plainclothes Cop; Ivan Roth - Freak; Rusty Cundieff - M-16; Lisa Adams - Woman at Club; Derek Baker - M-16; Christina Beck - Cobrette; Erin Linn Berline - Cobrette; Bobby Brat - Cobrette; Jodi Buss - Student with Rumor; Robert Dash - M-16; David Dunson - M-16; Carol Ginsburg - Student in Courtyard; Noriene Ginsburg - Student in Courtyard; Donald Hahn - Tam; Elizabeth Harmon - Student in Courtyard; Ho Sik Pak - Tam; Fred Leyro - Student in Courtyard; Kevin Simon - M-16; Mark Slama - Student in Courtyard; Ronnie Smith - M-16; Phil Villanuevo - Tam; Michael Yamasaki - Tam; Paul Yi - Tam; Greta Young - Student in Courtyard; Valorie Massalas; John Doe - Drunk at Club; Tony Lee - Tam; Barry Wilson - M-16

Credit

Nancy Israel - Associate Producer, Nina Padovano - Costume Designer, Larry Gross - Director, Steven Kemper - Editor, Gary Chang - Composer (Music Score), Barry Andrews - Songwriter, Bob Cordi - Songwriter, Dubois Daniels - Songwriter, Joe Esposito - Songwriter, Chris Farren - Songwriter, Robert Ferraro - Songwriter, Mitchell Froom - Songwriter, Barry Goldberg - Songwriter, Larry Lee - Songwriter, Carl Marsh - Songwriter, Jack Sherman - Songwriter, Dave Allen - Songwriter, Paul Ahrens - Production Designer, Nancy Israel - Production Designer, Mikhail Suslov - Cinematographer, Dennis Brody - Producer, Andrew Bullians - Producer, Jean Bullians - Producer, Robert Kenner - Producer, Anne Huntley-Ahrens - Set Designer, Dan Bradley - Stunts, Larry Gross - Screenwriter, Michael D. Jacobs - Screenwriter, Sam Bernard - Screenwriter

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