One Last Shot

So much more than the precursor to TPB. Definitely more somber with a great ending.

This story was obviously low budget. Much lower than tpb. The story is really good. All of them really do a great job. I liked it. Shows that they can do other situations not just comedy.

Many people look at 'One Last Shot' as just a precursor to 'Trailer Park Boys' - which in many ways it is - and fail to see that there's more to it than what appears at the surface.

I'm surprised at how many people fail to see that this short film isn't a comedy. Sure, there are some comedic moments, and yes, it has Ricky (Robb), Julian (Gary Williams, or, GW) and Mr. Lahey, but 'One Last Shot' really plays out like a slow burning tragedy.

From the beautiful piano melody that accompanies many scenes and sets the tone, and the themes of growing up, moving on, friendship and coming to terms with one's self all offer a great amount of sincerity and heart in just 30 minutes.

The main three all give fine, authentic performances, but it's really Robb Wells who shows just how great of an actor he was at such a young age. He carries this film, and we feel for him, and we care for him, and we want him to be happy because he clearly isn't.

I won't give away any spoilers, but the film has a powerful ending - one that took me aback.

Mike Clattenburg is a truly great filmmaker. 'Trailer Park Boys' is a comedic masterpiece but 'One Last Shot' shows that the boys really had the chops to go on to do more dramatic roles had TPB not worked out.

A weird precursor to Trailer Park Boys, with Wells and Tremblay testing out their comedic style and playing characters different to those which received cult status, but with similar characteristics showing through.

Two best friends spend a night out drinking together before one moves away forever, hoping to share a secret before he departs. There is an odd introduction to an iteration of Mr Lahey, who in One Last Shot is a mean pet shop owner, and boss of 'GW'. Other than backstory, though, he is the exact same character.

Shot in grainy black and white footage with familiar angles, this short film holds many similarities with their later work. The humour is far more understated, a more subdued approach which doesn't turn the characters into caricatures. Overall though, this probably wouldn't draw an audience further than TPB fans.

So this film is precursor to TPB. Robb Wells stars as Robb and John Paul Tremblay as Gary William aka GW. John Dunsworth plays Mr. Lahey who happens to be GW's boss. The film and characters aren't the greatest and there's definitely a lot of fleshing out certain details and characteristics between One Last Shot and the debut of Trailer Park Boys. But this is no doubt where it began.

Available on Netflix Canada at the time of this writing (September 2018).