The Last Word

This is not quite the thriller it appears to be in plot summary. While there is some violence and more sex and romance, this is more about Timothy Hutton's ethical choices as a writer. As such, it has some very good moments and fine acting by Hutton, Burke and Pantoliano. The pace is rather slow at first and you may find the ending disappointing, especially if you're looking for shocking revelations. But it's worth seeing.

This movie is sold to you as a gangster flick. Don't believe it!

You are also told to expect Richard Dreyfuss and Chazz Palminteri. Well, they give you one scene each!

There is the merest glimmer of a good film hidden deep in the recesses of "The Last Word" (mis-sold in the UK under the title "Cosa Nostra" - believe me, there is no Mafia action).

A writer is torn. His friend/agent and his movie studio want him to use the most powerful true stories from his newspaper column. If he does not then the film might not get made. His friend may lose his kneecaps (or more) due to financial problems, and the writer may never make it.

The dilemma is that the stories were told to him by his girlfriend. It was not in confidence at the time, but now she does not want him to write about her. And if she cannot trust him not to do so, then she cannot tell him the rest of her secrets.

In a good movie, the set up I have described could have been accomplished in 30 or 40 minutes, leaving an hour or so for the writer to make his agonising choice.

In this very poor movie, the set up takes 80 minutes, and the agonising choice about 45 seconds.

Martin Ryan is a Detroit newpaper columnist who writes about 'Scenes from Everyday Life.' Some of the subjects of his columns don't like what he writes, and one person has even gotten killed because of what Ryan wrote. Sarah is a stripper who agrees to be interviewed, but she doesn't like what Ryan writes. It doesn't matter, because they begin a romantic relationship, even though Ryan is married (if they showed Ryan's wife I don't remember; during the first half of the movie I couldn't figure out what was going on half the time). Doc is a former mobster who arranges to have a movie made based on the columns, and he, Ryan and Sarah go to Hollywood. There, Sarah meets an old friend, an Irish former stripper (Roma Downey), and we find out she has a past she didn't tell Ryan about. Ryan tries to Make sure Sarah's past won't be shown too negatively just to make the movie better, but Doc is in debt to some goons who have followed him, and he has to do what the producers want. I was looking forward to seeing more of Richard Dreyfuss, but that didn't happen. Also, when the time came to actually film the movie-within-a-movie, we met Cybill Shepherd, who played the actress who played Sarah. She was surely going to add more. And Jimmy Smits played the actor doing Ryan's part, but we never saw him except when he was playing Ryan. Just when it seemed there was a lot more to accomplish, the movie suddenly ended. Sarah liked painting, so the movie may appeal to those who like art that doesn't actually look like what it depicts. Fans of the music of Toni Childs (whoever that is) may also like the movie. There is some good stunt work in flashbacks, if you like seeing a man set on fire. Personally, I just didn't see that this movie reached its potential.

The Timothy Hutton character is a moral monster. The movie is about whether he can change, but it fails to engage you in this. For one thing, Hutton remains self-centered and haughty. Nothing to like nor learn from here. The Michelle Burke character is sweet enough (until a stupid plot twist at the end spoils it); she desperately needs a helpful relationship. That she would try for most of the movie to find it with the Hutton character is not at all convincing.

The portrayal of Hollywood in all its hypocrisy and twisting of culture to the lowest common denominator of attracting viewers is stale, adding nothing to what has become a Hollyood cliche of Hollywood.

It´s a fantastic vision of Hollywood's backstage,painful elationships,violence,and different points of view from the three main characters: Timothy Hutton, Michelle Burke and the great dark character that Joe Pantoliano develops here. A mad function that celebrates confusion of life and cinema, not even a bit of fun in the middle of the way.