Taking Care of Business is a 1990 comedy film directed by Arthur Hiller. The film stars James Belushi as Jimmie Dworski, an uptight advertising executive who has his entire life planned in a filofax organizer. While on his way to a crucial job interview, Jimmie accidentally drops his filofax, which is then mistakenly picked up by a friendly prison convict, Spencer Barnes (played by Charles Grodin).
Spencer is scheduled to be released from prison after serving four years for burglary. He discovers Jimmie’s filofax, which appears to be a detailed itinerary for a weekend getaway with plenty of expense accounts. Spencer, who has always wanted to experience the finer things in life, uses the organizer to pose as Jimmie, and he gets himself released early from prison by pretending to be a visiting executive.
Jimmie eventually learns from the prison warden and the police that Spencer has been released using his filofax. Jimmie then becomes totally frantic, as he knows that the job interview is critical for his career advancement. Meanwhile, Spencer continues to live the life of luxury meant for Jimmie, which includes staying at a posh hotel, driving a fancy car, and attending parties.
The rest of the movie is about Jimmie, who tries frantically to reclaim his filofax, clear his name, and keep his job prospects intact. Along the way, Jimmie begins to learn the value of spontaneity and living in the moment as he searches for Spencer. The film’s climax is a hilarious game of basketball between Jimmie's team and Spencer's team, with Jimmie's future on the line.
Taking Care of Business is a fun and good-natured comedy that showcases the talents of both Belushi and Grodin. The film also features appearances by some notable actors, including Anne De Salvo, Veronica Cartwright, and Hector Elizondo.