The Last Word (I) (2008) User Reviews

So-so

[grantss · 5/10 · 29 June 2020]

So-so. Was initially interesting but drifts from a point and fizzles out. Could have been profound, but ultimately wasn't.

Good to see Winona Ryder, in a rare decent 2000s role for her (good to see Winona Ryder, full stop). Solid performance from her. Wes Bentley is a bit irritating in his role, but maybe it is because the longer the movie went on, the more I disliked his character.

Good drama with some laughs

[dk34997-1 · 7/10 · 28 April 2009]

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It had my complete attention from the opening and onward until the credits. Its a decent film to watch with a significant other if you cant talk her into Rambo 7.

It leans more toward the drama side of things but definitely had some good laughs. It was casted well, as for I believe it was well acted. I cant really complain about much in this one.

Romano lends himself to a great comedic supporting role to liven up the dark portrayal of the lead character; equating to a great balance in the movie.

The ending was definitely fitting and made the movie end on a rather positive note; considering the movie takes you on a darker walk through out it was nice to see things summed up the way they were.

sad & depressing BUT somehow it works

[jaybob · 7/10 · 28 April 2009]

This film was written & directed by Geoffrey Haley.I must commend him for creating 3 fine main characters & casting the right actors in each role.

This is a somewhat sad & depressing movie, with very little humor. Somehow it actually works, I watched with keen interest the quirky goings on. Winona Ryder, who has having career other real life problems is back & she is just great, I do hope she continues getting more important roles.

Wes Bently who started out like a ball of fire in American Beauty, then had trouble finding decent roles is equally good. He is a fine actor & deserves good roles, more like this.

Ray Romano in a dramatic role (for a change) proves that he an do more the the comedy roles he does on TV>

These 3 & the remaining cast members make you pay attention & listen.

There is only one action scene towards the end it helps us understand a puzzling plot point.

this is not a major film by any means, rent it & see it, I think you may like it like I did.

Ratings: *** (out of 4) 82 points(out of 100) IMDb 7 (out of 10)

Well acted and Well liked

[flory055 · 7/10 · 23 June 2009]

I really enjoyed the movie overall... I thought the character development was great and each actor suited their role very well.

The movie flowed nicely and had a touch of almost everything. Comedy, romance, sadness, and happiness.

I REALLY did not like the ending, although I am one who like nice and tidy endings with love all over. I would have rather had Evan and Charlotte be together than watching Evans heart break inside his chest.

That honestly is my only critique of the movie.

I enjoyed seeing Ray Romono in a serious role for once. He did well and although he was considering suicide and was soo unhappy with his life he was the one who brought comedy to the film.

It was the first time I have ever seen Wes Bentley in a role and I thought he did a great job.

The Last Word is Strange and all the others are F Bombs

[arieliondotcom · 7/10 · 30 May 2009]

This is a very strange movie about a guy...a very strange guy...who makes his living as a freelance writer of suicide notes for other people. Very dark most of the time with bizarre bits of comedy thrown in thanks to the presence of Ray Romano of all people (Everybody Loves Suicide, I guess).

Although you think he'll only be around for a walk on (and kill off) he's around for most of the film and really makes the picture with his deadpan delivery of some wacky but very funny lines that are all the funnier because of the bleakness of the film surrounding them and the context plus his delivery. Romano is a human Eeyore and this film is a perfect foil for him.

One joke is very vulgar but (I'm ashamed to admit) I found it very funny, thus the R rating, but most of it is probably from a liberal use of the "F" bomb.

Very unsettling, very odd, and all the more surreal because it's also very funny. Worth watching for the (to me) surprise ending alone. Which is appropriate as a last word for this film.

Winona Ryder is good but she's smothered by a writer/director who appears to be morally retarded

[MBunge · 4/10 · 5 October 2010]

This film takes one good character, one good performance and some vaguely amusing banter and buries it under an avalanche of moral obtuseness, male wish fulfillment and bizarrely incompetent writing. Writer/director Geoffrey Haley somehow came up with an outlandish premise that was rich in potential for dark comedy and satire, but demonstrates in the making of this movie that he didn't have the emotional or intellectual depth to do a damn thing with it.

Evan (Wes Bentley) is a young writer in Los Angeles who makes a living writing for a particular sort of special occasion. He composes suicide notes for other people. People contact Evan through his website, he learns about their lives and then composes beautifully poetic final messages for them. Only about 30% of Evan's clients actually off themselves, but that's besides the point. This is a morally reprehensible thing to do. It's inviting people at the lowest point in their lives to come to you and then treating them with something worse than indifference. It's not just standing on the shore and watching someone else drown. It's standing on the shore, watching someone else drown and yelling out as they go under for the third time "Is there anything you want me to tell your mom after you're gone?"

It's a horrible act and Evan is completely oblivious to how horrible it is, which makes him an even more horrible person…but that's okay. A person with such a stunted and disconnected nature could be a very interesting character. The problem is that the story is oblivious to the awfulness of Evan's actions. There's not a moment in this film where there's any sense given that there's anything wrong with what Evan is doing, except that other people might disapprove. Not only is that offensive, but such profound moral ignorance is boring.

The stuff that happens to Evan starts when he attends the funeral of one of his clients to hear if the suicide note is read aloud, so Evan can critique his own work. His dead client's sister, Charlotte (Winona Ryder), notices him and here's where the male wish fulfillment comes in. Evan is dull as dishwater, lacking in any social graces and seems not just disinterested but annoyed at Charlotte's attention. Yet, this lovely, sexy, smart and vulnerable woman continues to throw herself at Evan until he deigns to have sex with her and become her boyfriend. It's every lonely nerd's ultimate fantasy. A hot chick falls in love with him and he doesn't even have to alter his pathetic personality.

What's especially frustrating is that Charlotte is a very well written character and Winona Ryder does a fine acting job. There's a dramatic and emotional integrity to Charlotte. She's not just a pawn that gets moved around the plot to service Evan's story. She has reasons for what she does, she's aware of those reasons but she's not controlled by them. There are several points in the movie where Charlotte does the exact opposite of what you usually see from the "girlfriend role" and it's a little thrilling when it happens. For her part, Ryder is more than up to the demands of this role. She really captures the uneasy swirl of strength and weakness, confidence and desperation, self-awareness and self-deception a woman would have to have to be attracted to a guy like Evan. It also helps a lot that Ryder's physical attractiveness here as a grown woman equals all of the sublime cuteness of her youth.

There's also a few laughs to be hand from the interaction of Evan and Abel (Ray Romano), a misanthropic client who insists on hanging out and talking with Evan like they were friends. Abel's not much more than a collection of funny lines of dialog and, again, there's no lesson or real point to their relationship because the story persists in denying the appalling essence of what Evan is doing for Abel.

You can probably guess that Charlotte eventually learns that Evan wrote her brother's suicide note, imperiling their relationship, and that easy-to-predict point is where the film implodes from the pressure of fundamentally flawed writing. After Charlotte finds out what he did and is rightfully repulsed, Evan tries to redeem himself to her and the audience by explaining that her brother had advanced cancer, was in serious pain and only wanted to be at peace. That's supposed to at least partly ennoble Evan in the eyes of Charlotte and the viewer. It doesn't do that at all, for two very simple reasons.

1. Evan spends their entire relationship lying to Charlotte. So, when he says Charlotte's brother had cancer, the first reaction from both Charlotte and the audience should be that it's just another lie. That very logical and reasonable response clearly never occurred to writer/director Geoffrey Haley. Not only does Charlotte never question it, but Haley never offers up any evidence to her or the audience that Evan is telling the truth.

2. If Evan is telling the truth, it only magnifies what a disgusting person he is. In the story, Charlotte is really torn up over her brother's death. Yet even though Evan is confronted with the human trauma enabled by his passive acquiescence to suicide, he still doesn't realize the horror that he's part of. Evan (and obviously Haley) thinks that because Charlotte's brother killed himself for a supposedly good reason, it somehow justifies what Evan does.

I don't know what to make of this film. One aspect of it is very good, but the rest of it is so bad that I can't really believe that one filmmaker is responsible for it all. It's like trying to comprehend how George Lucas could create both Darth Vader and Jar Jar Binks. Tragically, The Last Word is mostly Jar Jar…and does anyone need to be told not to watch more Jar Jar?

Different

[dmasursky · 9/10 · 6 July 2009]

If you just want the same old romantic comedy, this movie is not for you. It's a bit dark, a bit weird, but totally entertaining. Fresh, surprising and not formulaic. This movie definitely has a bit of everything - some odd comic relief and some touching moments and some romance and even a few things to get you thinking.

I loved Wes Bentley in American Beauty and I rented this movie just for him. He did not disappoint - he's a little off-kilter, but in the best possible way. Perfect in the role of Evan - strange but endearing.

Winona Ryder, on the other hand, was miscast as Charlotte. I like her and think she's very talented, and I didn't think she ruined the movie. But she wasn't quite right either, and I think this would have worked even better than it did with someone else in her role.

But that's a minor complaint. If you're wondering whether to see this, go for it. You'll be glad that you did. I certainly was.

Original drama-comedy

[francescof86 · 7/10 · 28 January 2011]

I had a chance to see "The last word" although only in DVD. I think this is one of the most interesting and original drama-comedy of the last years. The reasons why this film was pushed straight to DVD is beyond my imagination,comparing to those ordinary(or awful) comedies that usually draw many possible distributors. The film centers on the character of Evan(Wes Bentley),whose job is writing suicide notes for the soon-to-be departed. He's a very quiet man. His life changes when he meets Charlotte(Winona Ryder),sister of one of his client who recently died. She's very free spirited. Charlotte gets interested in Evan. Meanwhile Evan is going to write a note for Abel(Ray Romano)a looser composer who's planning to end his life. So the point is: will Evan be opened with Charlotte about his job and the truth about her brother? Will Abel commit the final act?The pace of the film is engaging,the direction is quite good and the story offers some really stimulating reflections.It portrays a somewhat depressing and impossible "love story" because the characters are fatally compromised and both of them are not able to escape from their own dimension and loneliness.They simply are not able to communicate effectively.However in the end the male lead finds an escape from this wretched existence by ultimately saving the soon-to-be suicide although he destroyed in a way the last chance of a peaceful existence for the female lead.Winona Ryder is simply perfect, her eyes communicating emotions,humor and weakness. After "Girl,interrupted" I think this is her most impressive role and stunning performance(along with "The private lives of Pippa Lee"). Ray Romano is truly great. Wes Bentley is good but not so excellent like his peers. My vote 7/10.

I don't even know what to title this, it was so bad.

[dancnguy · 2/10 · 24 April 2009]

There are some movies that might not really do it for you, but have some redeeming value; The Last Word is not one them. The premise was great, a guy, Even (Wes Bentley) who writes professional suicide notes, and ends up getting involved with a sister of a former client, Charlotte (Winona Ryder). The idea is that the notes Even writes are supposed to be be deep, beautiful poetry, because its the last thing his clients are going to "say" after they're gone. But when you put beautiful poetry next to a bad script, poorly delivered lines, choppy cinematography, and a capricious soundtrack, whatever intelligence the premise had going for it is flushed down the drain. This movie didn't know if it wanted to be a romantic comedy, or an intense drama. Whenever I thought it was going to settle one way or another, either the script would contradict the tone set by the actors, the soundtrack would contradict the script, or a joke would contradict the drama, basically the the movie proceeded to step on its toes one bad scene after another.

I could go into more detail and give away spoilers, but to be honest, thinking about this movie is starting to give me a headache. Watch it for yourself, and judge, but if you're looking for an intense drama with a few well placed laughs, go watch Brick, or Better Off Tomorrow.

Black Romantic Comedy that works

[napierslogs · 8/10 · 18 August 2009]

Wes Bentley (from American Beauty) stars as Evan, a very solitary guy who writes suicide notes for other people. At a funeral for one of his clients he meets Charlotte (played by Winona Ryder) who forms an instant attraction to him.

This movie is about their relationship and how their relationship influences and changes Evan's life. All the characters are well developed and realized, and the actors portray them very well. The movie is an original and clever take on the usual romantic comedy. Due to Evan's vocation, it is quite dark. I think 'black romantic comedy' defines its genre well.

The movie seemed very real despite the fact that it centers around a vocation that doesn't really exist (at least on the surface of today's society). It was funny and well written. I highly recommend it for anybody who is looking for a dark romantic comedy that is out of the ordinary.

Refreshing romantic drama

[AmigaJay · 6/10 · 8 April 2023]

A quite refreshing to see romantic drama film.

Although i'm not sure, maybe its a Hollywood thing where you can plan your suicide for weeks or months in advance but statistically in the rest of the world suicide is mostly a spur of the moment decision, that part was always in the back of my mind whilst watching, so it did derail the story a little for me during the film.

Regardless it was still a decent watch, some good acting, but overall the characters didn't really capture your love or affection to warrant getting too involved in the film

Worth a watch, but the rewatch factor is pretty low.

Typical reason to avoid Indie Films

[mharriso131 · 1/10 · 9 November 2013]

God was this movie awful.

First off, the main character has no personality, isn't that great looking and shows no emotion. Yet Winona Ryder practically stalks him to become his girlfriend. Because we all know that in real life, hot girls love strange, psychotic introverts. For some reason in Indie movies, things like this happen all the time. It is total bullshit, a filmmakers wet dream, because most are like the main character. If I go to a club tonight, sit by myself and act like a creepy sociopath, I will really land the hottest girl in the club.

His job is to write poetic suicide notes for people, because that is what you really care about when you have decided to off yourself, that you are viewed as a poetic genius. Of course nothing nasty/vindictive about the people in your life that eventually pushed you to that point, like 99.9% of suicide notes.

Really dumb movie, written and directed by people with no basis in reality.

Hated this film

[annsemeslynch-1 · 1/10 · 15 July 2009]

I love Ray Romano but this movie was way too dark for me and there was too much swearing in it. I'm not usually one for censorship but I find that this movie was odd. I had never heard of Wes Bentley before - even though it says he was in American Beauty - but he isn't an actor I'd search out again. Winona is usually very polished and maybe it was her character. I hadn't seen it advertised anywhere either. Maybe it is an independent film. The music was great. I enjoyed the "music" Abel created in his studio and the compositions were nice - even after I realized what the movie was about. I have seen Gina Hecht in other pieces and she does a nice job. The rest of the family was dysfunctional and maybe that is why I didn't like this movie. Very odd film.

I HATED THIS FILM.

Excellent drama

[deschreiber · 8/10 · 11 March 2009]

Comedy? No, folks, there are no laughs here. Great ending? Hah! The bit of relief at the end weighs like a feather compared to the darkness of the movie as a whole. This is a drama, a dark one, with suicide and love deceived and betrayed constantly in the background, yet the plot is compelling, and love tries to wriggle its way to the surface amid the human refuse. An excellent script, particularly if this is the writer's first. Strong, touching performances by Wes Bentley, Winona Ryder and Ray Romano. Don't see it when you're looking for some light entertainment for the evening. But when you're ready for something serious and something that might stick in your mind, see it then. There won't be many movies of its quality this year.

Sundance Review

[inkling2008 · 10/10 · 30 August 2008]

This is the finest comedy/drama I've seen in a couple of years, and it has the most satisfying ending I've ever seen. The film stars Wes Bentley (ironically, Haley shot the famous videotape of the plastic bag that Bentley shows to Thora Birch in "American Beauty") as Evan, who is a professional author of suicide notes. He meets with his clients, gets a sense of what they want, then asks them to keep a journal of their thoughts for a few weeks, after which Evan produces a poetic, client-customized suicide note for the soon-to-be-departed. He has become so prolific that one of his clients won a national poetry prize for Evan's note; the ever-mordant Evan is quick to add that the prize was, of course, awarded posthumously.

Evan estimates that 30% of his clients actually kill themselves; one who does is a young man named Matt Morris. When Evan attends Matt's funeral---he often attends the graveside service to evaluate the effect of his note on those in attendance---, Matt's sister Charlotte (Winona Ryder) follows him out of the service and asks him if he was a friend of her brother's. Evan lies that he went to Cornell with Matt, and soon he and Charlotte are dating. Trouble ensues when Evan eats dinner at Charlotte's house with the whole surviving family firing questions at him.

Meanwhile, we meet Evan's newest client, Abel (an excellent Ray Romano), an acerbic misanthrope with a death wish. They develop an unlikely bond, and there are some extremely touching (and hilarious) exchanges between the two as they work on Abel's farewell (in one such conversation, Abel, encouraging Evan to pursue Charlotte, tells him to buy her a puppy: "Girls love puppies. They're like heroin with fur!").

Things get complicated between Evan and Charlotte as he has must go to increasingly absurd lengths to conceal his true occupation and the real reason that he knew her brother. I won't reveal any more of the plot, because this is a ride truly to be enjoyed by the moviegoer.

Bentley fulfills the promise he showed in "American Beauty." He manages to imbue his characteristic monotone and piercing gaze with enough hints of emotion to reveal the depths of grief churning below his icy surface. Romano shows surprising dramatic range while retaining his trademark wit; it will be interesting to see if he continues to try to stretch his acting range. (On a side note, he admitted in the post-film Q&A that his psychiatrist reads the script before Romano will commit to any project.) Ryder is the only weak link here. She does a competent job, her doe eyes signaling the hurt over her brother's death that is only worsened by Evan's seeming callousness, but her acting doesn't rise to the level of her co- stars. Thankfully, it is really Bentley and Romano's film, and they make the most of it.

This is an astounding first feature from Haley, who wrote the screenplay in his trailer during breaks while lensing the final season of "Six Feet Under." Although he hasn't yet struck a distribution deal, potential buyers in yesterday's audience could not ignore the thunderous ovation that met the closing credits. Go see this one when it comes out in a theater near you, which it will. You won't be disappointed.

Unpredictably Beautiful

[Crapbabble · 9/10 · 23 June 2016]

'The Last Word'(2008), starring my mate Winnie and one Wes Bentley (of 'American Beauty' fame), I read the description on IMDb.com, it went a little something, actually, exactly like this:

"A man (Bentley) who makes his living composing other people's suicide notes enters into a romance with the sister (Ryder) of a recent client." Hmmmm, I thought!

I added it to my favourites so that I could go back and watch should the mood take me, anyway it did, I've just watched it, and now I'm writing this.

Bentley plays Evan… I must say that this was the first thing i've enjoyed seeing Wes Bentley in since 'American Beauty'. Probably because his character in this movie is pretty much an older Ricky Fitz! Evan is a loner, poetically deep, interesting and intriguing… Had an abusive father… Yadda-yadda-yadda.

Evan writes suicide notes (hence the title: 'The Last Word') for clients who've contacted him through his website. One of Evan's current clients is a guy called Abel, played by 'Everyone Love's Raymond's Ray Romano.

I've never seen Ray Romano play any other character before and I really enjoyed his performance in this film. Abel's friendship with Evan grows during Evan's developing relationship with Ryder's character Charlotte.

I never knew this movie existed before this weekend, and everything in it is subtle and yet achieves maximum impact.'The Last Word' is unpredictable, funny, honest and sad. Well it's not very sad per say, considering it's main theme is death! But for a piece which walks hand in hand with suicide it is actually quite light, yet not at all offensive or disrespectful. It follows Evan's story and it has a happy ending. It's the type of film that I don't plan to watch again, but probably will do, and probably more than once.

In my opinion this movie is a wee gem. It's strangely beautiful, a bit like that carrier bag blowing in the wind! I recommend it.

I even feel a need to make a shout out to the guy who wrote and directed this movie, his name is Geoffrey Haley. He has two writing credits to his name, one short film and this one being his only feature film. His greatest plethora of work takes place within the camera and electrical department; if you check out his film credentials on IMDb, he has over 80 for camera and electrical, steadicam operations being his apparent forte. You will no doubt recognise a lot of the films Haley has worked on, one of which was 'American Beauty'…

Swings and roundabouts folks. Swings and roundabouts.

Unusual dark romance

[akumarfun · 8/10 · 3 December 2009]

This movie is phenomenal.The script is well written and the characters have portrayed themselves very well. Its about a writer who writes the suicide notes. He never tries to forbid his clients from going ahead with their suicides. That's also strange.

Ray's character is great. He does some unusually strange things.Scaring the baby and the concept of venting you anger on inanimate objects were very original and idiosyncratic.

You will love this movie if you ever had setbacks in your life. Its a different take on life and the thinking of various people. Things we think of but never verbalize in public.

Sleeper Gem

[pepekwa · 9/10 · 4 August 2012]

Every so often you come across a movie that no-one really saw or knows about, received little or no critical acclaim and it blows your socks off, its great to be surprised like that sometimes and this is one of those films for me.

I should start by saying writer/director Jeffrey Haley should give up the day job of camera tech and do the film creating gig for real.

Great script, great cast, fans of Winona Ryder's cleavage will have a field day here.

Seriously though, this is very offbeat with a taboo subject but there are a few laugh out loud scenes here, mostly thanks to ray romano. I've always like wes bentley as an actor, he's perfect for dark roles and I liked the idiosyncracies like for example not having a car in LA.

the only slight disappointment is the "hollywood" happy ending but the way it followed romano's dream to a tee was so well executed and OTT, it didn't detract from the movie for me.

Writer talent shamelessly destroyed by false morality

[Stepper_on_flowers · 8/10 · 23 September 2009]

Caution: spoilers ahead. This is a spoilered review, so be warned.

The film starts out as original, even bold. The character of Evan is very well fleshed and sympathetic (at least from my standpoint). The premise is quite believable, with a certain slightly decadent/slightly post-modern charm, and definite intelligence.

However, once the drama begins to unfold, the movie's charm slips away, while the gaping maw of Hollywood threadbare *romantic* morality looms into view. And promptly eats the main character.

As it turns out, writing beautiful poetry or prose for someone's grand exit out of life is a shameful sin. Only depressed people with the obligatory abused childhood may contemplate doing this for a living. And that these people must be punished, and corrected in their ways.

Charlotte (Winona Ryder) was deeply estranged from her brother, they haven't seen each other or talked for a long time, and she wasn't there for him when he chose to commit suicide. On his funeral, she spots Evan, the professional death note writer (accomplished, too, - as we're told, one of his notes won a writing award) and chases him relentlessly, ignoring his uncertainty and basically throwing herself at him. When Evan finally submits to her *charms* (after having been cornered on a roof, no less), the situation changes dramatically. Evan eventually becomes truly enamored with Charlotta, while she begins to demand total knowledge of his life.

Out of completely misplaced chivalry (the usual plothole of Hollywood romances, and a definite hint at the travesties to come), Evan chooses to hide his occupation, in pointless hopes of avoiding the very questionable risk of causing psychological discomfort to his lover.

Needless to say, Charlotte finds out, and of course, like in all those B-grade low-brow romances, she immediately throws her "love" towards Evan overboard under the double pretext of "deceiving" her and being a soulless jerk who dares to ornament people's deaths in beautiful poetry.

At this point one might wonder why the work of the common undertaker or grave monument sculptor is not being so stigmatised, but someone writing "death notes" should be perceived as a deviant. Moreover, history knows plenty of brilliant poets that were obsessed with death to a certain degree (Poe, Baudelaire and Rimbaud to name but a few), and no one dares to label them soulless or uncaring.

The crushed Evan is not allowed such blasphemous thoughts, however. After a pathetic encounter with a mugger, where Evan's emasculation is finalised (he cries like a child and says his sorry for hitting the mugger back after the bastard pistol-whipped him), he dutifully abandons writing, leaves town, and engages in a pointless, stupid Luddite-like business of letting raging morons throw electronic equipment that baffles their tiny minds off a cliff, while filming this ordeal.

This final scene may very well be seen as a meta-comment on the movie itself, which abandons an intelligent and promising premise in favor of filming the pointless rage of a moronic woman and the damage it caused to a sophisticated piece of equipment that was the protagonist.

All in all, while amusing (from an academic standpoint), it was really sad to watch. It sends a deeply flawed message. This movie and others like it have a lot in common with older, male chauvinist "taming of the shrew" scenarios, only with the roles reversed. It's quite shocking in this day and age to see such primal, degenerate values at work. I feel particularly sad for Winona's participation as in the past she played characters similar to Evan but from a female perspective, and usually managed to maintain the integrity of these characters. Too bad she didn't recognise this movie for what it really is - a low-grade "romance" replete with false morals, masquerading as something thoughtful and stylish.

However, once you realise all this, you can appreciate the movie from a different angle - that of Fatum in the hands of moralising authors against the protagonist struggling to maintain his integrity. Like any Greek tragedy, this one ends tragically.

I gave this movie an 8 due to the following: 1) good premise; 2) Wes Bentley is very good as Evan; 3) the movie may be appreciated on a different philosophical level once you come to grips with its skewed morality; 4) baby-scaring therapy was hilarious; 5) I adore Winona Ryder.

If you have any comments on this review, feel free to check out the message board where I've posted a more erratic & angry version for discussion.

Loved it! Isn't for the Average Moviergoer

[maryjane-jones · 10/10 · 2 February 2013]

The Last Word . . . I saw this movie on Netflix yesterday. I Loved this movie (I would shout but not allowed). "The Last Word" isn't for everyone. If you are one of those usual moviegoers that like to see the same boring subject regurgitated repeatedly by Hollywood, don't watch this; you are too boring to "get it." The screenplay is brilliant. Wes Bentley's performance . . . WhaT?!!! Who is this guy? I could feel his isolated, closed down personality; and how uncomfortable he was "in his own skin" with himself and others.

Haley wrote and directed this! What a performance he got out of Winona and Romano. Yes, of course, acting has a lot to do with that, but the script is . . . WoW!

The ending just blew me away. Now I am on my way to seek other works of Haley and Bentley.

When watching this movie, I was actually thinking, "That would be a great business to start." Yeah I know, I am a little more twisted than the average moviegoer.

I have recommended this movie to my family and friends because they are interesting and so am I.

Was this nominated for a Spirit Award? If it wasn't, they suck.

It's now July 26, 2013 . . . wow I've been away a long time. I just found this movie for sale at Blockbuster, new and inexpensive, since Blockbuster will soon be out of business. I don't think I like all of the movie stores (Hollywood Video, Blockbuster) closing down.

AND I REMAIN STILL

[nogodnomasters · 8/10 · 20 July 2018]

Romantic comedy??? Perhaps a romantic dark comedy without too much romance or comedy...although I did find myself laughing a few times. Wes Bently stars as Evan Merak, an aloof person with his own issues. He professionally composes suicide notes like a Russian novelist. He attends the funerals of those who actually go through with the deed, mostly to hear and critique his own composure read out loud.

While attending a funeral he meets the moody Charlotte (Winona Ryder) the sister of a victim. They end up dating. Evan tries to keep his specific relationship with her brother a secret and lies to Charlotte. Charlotte is comparatively unsophisticated, and like Winona she thinks a good date is one that doesn't try to "steal my credit card." (One of my several LOL moments.) In one early scene at a diner she has on no make-up or jewelry then in the next scene she is driving Evan home from said diner and has on her painted face as well as wearing pearls...something she wears later on in the film...Geoffrey Haley,another Ed Wood academy graduate. Here's your card.

While Evan is trying to keep things a secret, he is aiding other clients which raises Charlotte's curiosity level. You wait for the climax scene when he confesses everything to her. Decent film for quirky indie lovers.

F-bomb (thank you Winona), no on screen sex or nudity

A different kind of comedy, subtle, and the main character writes suicide poems for others.

[TxMike · 22 June 2010]

Wes Bentley is Evan. When he meets people and they ask him what he does, he tells them he writes for special occasions. Mainly those special occasions are the suicide notes his clients plan to leave behind. These are not just small notes, they are elegant poems composed especially for the client and to reflect his or her life and the reasons for ending it. In one funny comment, Evan notes that one particular client received an award for his poem ... posthumously.

Winona Ryder is Charlotte, the sister of one of Evan's clients. During the weeks leading up to the suicide, when Evan met with him to develop the thrust of the final poem, he gave Evan a photo of him and his sister. Evan thought she was beautiful and wanted to meet her, and does at the funeral service.

So far, so good, but what happens next kind of lost me because it didn't seem reasonable. Evan's personality is flat and uncommunicative, but for some reason Charlotte pursues him. Then she takes him to a LA area lounge for drinking and dancing, something he absolutely found no fun it. But she keeps pursuing him until they become a number.

The third key character is Ray Romano as Abel, who composes music for "backgrounds", like when you are on hold on a phone call and you hear music in the background.

Anyway this is a quirky and often funny movie, but funny in a subtle way. I like Wes Bently, going back to his Ricky character in 'American Beauty.' Ryder, I can take her or leave her. When I see her I think of the messed up shoplifter of a few years ago.

The movie would have no value if that's all there was, but through their interactions the three main characters all learn new things about themselves, and grow.

common but special

[Vincentiu · 14 September 2013]

at first sigh, the Wes Bentley return. with small observation - it is not really a new American Beauty. it is bitter, sarcastic, a kind of dark chocolate. a part of long chain about strange men and nice girls, secrets and fundamental choices but all are only details.because it is a fresco not for a love story but for life love. a different writer and his clients. a meeting and a relationship. and old story, with cinnamon traces, about she and him. I love it. for its aura, for the levels of story for Wes Bentley in his perfect character clothes, for Winnona Ryder and her work to be decent Charlotte.like many films of present,a movie about nothing or only about insignificant events.