THE RECOMMENDATION is a young man’s play, frantic with jagged urgency over choosing the right next step from the options tumbling past so swiftly. But it is we old men, who understand too well how tiny decisions – a traffic violation, a white lie, a casual favor – can change a life permanently, who may feel the impact of this sturdy play most poignantly.

How can author Jonathan Caren, who just graduated from Juilliard, have gotten this all so right? He senses life’s labyrinths before he can have experienced them and he offers wise observations, if not cautionary guidance, on how best to survive and perhaps flourish.

The Old Globe Theatre has splendidly mounted THE RECOMMENDATION for its world premiere at the White Theatre, an occasion that brings honor to everybody involved.

This is the story of three young men, a privileged prince of power from Beverly Hills, a born loser sinking into the depth of the criminal class and a bright outsider. All are ambitious but only one finds that doors open automatically along his path.

Aaron the golden boy and Iskinder the outsider are accidental Ivy League roommates who find an easy comradery based on sharing Aaron’s wealth. That’s what friends are for says Aaron, whose code is keeping himself clean and having fun. And the arrangement doesn’t stop with graduation. Back in L.A., Aaron’s influential father helps Izzy (with his 4.0 grades) get a law scholarship and a desk at aprestigiousfirm. Meanwhile Aaron, gets boosted onto rung one of the film industry ladder as the personal assistant to a player there.

The third guy in this trio is there waiting for Aaron when he’s tossed into a holding cell after being stopped for a tail-light violation. (Don’t examine the story details too closely, just take them as Caren comments on random confusions.) Transferred to a crowded cell at county jail, Aaron, without his cell phone and near panic at this fellow prisoner’s musings on his fate, begs for help, promising to return the favor when he’s outside. And Dwight delivers, though his methods traumatize Aaron.

That Aaron is white and Dwight is black will come as no surprise. Izzy walks the line, son of a Ethiopian father and a white American mother. His ambiguous musings enrich the play and lift it above easy stereotyping.

So life continues in all its haphazardry but the curves begin to flatten out as results trump prospects and promises are unkept. Inevitably, the question is asked: “How many times have I helped you?” And soon thereafter the curves sag into something like their final versions, not really disasters but tarnished beyond the power of polish.

The play gains immeasurably by the robust, sure-footed direction of Jonathan Munby, who even choreographs scene changes as intervals of aggressive ambition. Caren’s sure touch with this vernacular mix of slang, brand names and attitudes gives Munby abundant opportunity for definitive character licks and he can’t have missed many. For a play that heaves and splatters like a low-pressure leak, Munby has found a relaxed but purposeful path.

And what are they feeding back there at Juilliard? Not only the playwright is a grad but also the three excellent actors. Evan Todd is Teflon as Aaron in his element, but pitiful, nasty and hysterical to equal effect as required. Brendon Gill is controlled and appealing as Iskinder and Jimonn Cole ranges impressively from strutting rage to desolate impotence as Dwight.

The scenery they sling around so precisely are the metal benches, tables, chairs and such from Alexander Dodge’s streamlined minimalist set, lit with similar fluorescent cool by Philip S. Rosenberg. Lindsey Jones’ dabs of music and Linda Cho’s young-guy costumes also pick up on the self-assured stride of this brilliant production.

I hope Caren will cherish this exemplary world premiere of his first professionally-produced play. His should be a career that’s fun to watch. But probably they won’t always be done this well.

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