Fame, as we all know, is fleeting. What would you do- how far would you go - to hold onto that notoriety? This is the premise of THE LAST MINUTE, a look at the fickle nature of the public's affection. Writer/director Stephen Norrington takes us on a whirlwind journey of Billy Byrne, an artist who's the next big thing, at least for a few minutes.

The movie opens with our boy Billy contemplating to the audience the time in which we have to live. Distilling man's life to sums of months and weeks, Billy warns us to take care of the time we have, and make the most of it. Flashback to two years prior - Billy is in the office of a great CEO, who swoons over Billy's art and declares him the "next big thing". In a rush of publicity, Billy leaves his girlfriend and pals for a tour of the world, popping up on Japanese talk shows and taking part in a crazy German photo shoot. Returning to London, Billy and his girl Janie go to the 'trendy' club, where they are treated royally. They even get to meet the money behind Billy's push - a cabal of drug dealers with weird fetishes. Everybody seems to love Billy, until Monday morning when the reviews of his work come in. The critics despise him, and suddenly, Billy's not so hot anymore. In a blazing crash, Billy's life goes down the shitter. Janie gets fed up with his self-pity and leaves. He gets mugged. His pals aren't sympathetic - they all want to take his place as the apple of the public's eye. Homeless, mugged again and desperate, Billy is comforted by street urchin Anna, whom he had been kind to previously. She leads Billy into an underground world of twisted Charles Dickens -type proportions. Will Billy be able to get his act together and rise back to the top? Or has his fifteen minutes of fame run out?

THE LAST MINUTE is a bizarre, almost surreal film. Norrington takes liberties with the 'third wall' and has Billy talk directly to the audience. He plays with film speed and focus to create scenes of wild abandon. There's one part of the movie that looks like a "Benny Hill" episode. Using a variety of styles, Norrington lets his film move on it's own, sometimes to places best left unseen. There's a scene with a talkative cabbie that's a lot of fun. Listening to Billy's philosophies about art and life experience- and his mate's responses - give one some real food for thought. However, when the movie shifts from the hectic pace of the London scene to Anna's underground, it takes a darker and ultimately violent turn. THE LAST MINUTE is a wild ride, combining lots of different styles with a healthy dose of substance before it' descent into madness. It's worth the trip.

Lions Gate/Palm Pictures has released THE LAST MINUTE on DVD with an incredible amount of features. Not only does the disc include Norrington's commentary, but also actor Max Beesly, who plays Billy. Both of these commentaries provide interesting background and perspectives on the film. There is an "R"-rated trailer, previews of other Palm Entertainment pictures and web links. If you search a bit, you'll find "hidden" featurettes on the production of THE LAST MINUTE, as well as a whole laundry list of interviews and such. There are also extended scenes and some really weirdo stuff, like a monster movie clip (Billy's?). You'll spend a bit of time finding all these extra features, but they're worth searching out. The picture quality is pretty good overall; however, because of some of the many special effects used, there are scenes where the picture isn't optimal (color fluctuations and such). The audio boosts an impressive techno soundtrack with a booming bass. I had things fall off my woofer. Also read the notes by Norrington included in the DVD insert - it helps you keep track of everything and everybody when it all hits the fan.

THE LAST MINUTE is certainly a passionate and stylized look at the crazy nature of fame and the consequences when one falls from the public's grace. The DVD name-drops several 'edgy' movies as comparison, but ironically, this film doesn't meet it's own hype. It is a wild and thought-provoking movie on it's own merits, however, so take some of your precious time and catch THE LAST MINUTE (before it's too late!)