Last Summer is a movie that you'll want to see alone, or with someone you fully trust. The plot is well-captured prior to my review, and it's truly not difficult to understand the story.
Rarely, a movie captures my interest from start to finish, and Last Summer happens to be in this category. Aesthetically, the movie was beautiful to see. The golden, hazy effects of the camera work, along with the beautiful colors of the sea and even the hues of each character's eyes were all visually stunning. As a fan of the 1970s, it is easy to see how this movie captures the era perfectly (even if it's from 1969).
The main standout, however, is the discomfort I felt from early in the movie, until the very end. If you are a sensitive person, the increasingly awkward and eventually deplorable situations will be hard to view. The bird injury and 'operation', the reception of Rhoda into the group, the treatment of Anibal, and the final scenes of the seagull and Rhoda - will likely conjure the thought of "how did this movie get into normal theaters?".
Themes of narcissism, animals as property, people as property, justice, and the polarity between morality and acceptance all stood out. The characters are a combination of affable and deplorable. It's interesting to see how they shift: initially, we all feel a little annoyed by Rhoda, but eventually, she becomes the person you'd most want to befriend (at least in my mind). She is the person you want your daughter to be, with exception of how she is treated. We also feel charmed by the sweetness of the two teen boys initially, which morphs into a loathing.
It was also interesting to see that every genuine sentiment displayed in this movie - guilt, compassion, joy, and justice - was bestowed upon the seagull. Rather than experiencing the unpleasantness of acknowledging their emotions, Sandy, Peter and Dan would prevent that by turning to fits of laughter instead.
While it is repetitive to comment on this, I can't help lauding the amazing talent of Catherine Burns. She truly had a gift for becoming a character, and stirring the hearts of even the most disconnected viewer. It's a tragic loss that she did not pursue additional acting, and also that she passed away at 73.
A minor observation: Barbara Hershey was unrecognizable to me; I appreciated that her character was a naturally beautiful young woman who seemed comfortable in her own skin. This same actress portrayed a mother of two young women with eating disorders in 2003 ("Hunger Point"), but in this movie, there is an appreciable amount of body-positivity that begins with her character.
