The Last of the Finest

"The Last Of The Finest" didn't do a great deal of business when it was first release, possibly because the studio tried to market it as an action movie (it really isn't), and Dennehy, best known for playing heavies, possibly didn't fit audience's idea of a hero. Actually, Dennehy is pretty good playing his atypical role, believable as a cop who is honest and tries to do the right thing. The supporting cast is also pretty good in their roles. But the central conflict, dealing with bad guys in high places trying to interfere with the conflicts in Central America, is pretty standard stuff. I think that if they had tried to make this more of an action-oriented movie, it would have played a lot better. It's not a bad movie, just somewhat flat as it is. You will find it more entertaining if you watch it on commercial TV, however, because the ludicrous dubbing to remove the extensive foul language is unintentionally funny.

My review was written in March 1990 after a Greenwich Village screening.

The Iran-contra affair becomes the plot device for a farfetched and preachy co film offering Brian Dennehy an interesting star turn. Commercial prospects are bleak for this oddball Orion message picture.

Originally titled "Street Legal", "The Last of the Finest" belongs in a rarely attempted brand of pastiche film, last seen in the Watergate comedy "Nasty Habits" in which nuns led by Glenda Jackson and Geraldine Page portrayed thinly disguised members of the Nixon administration.

"Finest" is less interesting because it's one step removed. The central characters are Dennehy and his band of dedicated cops who tumble upon a bunch of corrupt characters (who parallel the Iran-contra protagonists) while working on a drug bust.

Like characters for a Don Siegel action pic (especially "Charley Varrick"), Dennehy and his loyal men Joe Pantoliano, Jeff Fahey and Bill Paxton bristle at L. A. P. D. rules and are suspended when their task force becomes overly zealous in its fight against drug trafficking. Audience immediately tumbles to the fact that higher-ups are blocking their noble cause: it's a combination of police brass and feds, working on an elaborate scheme to trade drugs for arms to supply Central American freedom fighters.

In pic's silliest plot twist, Dennehy and company too easily rip off minor drug dealers to finance their own purchase of heavy weapons to stage a three-man war against the baddies (one of Dennehy's merry men is murdered early on, as a corny motivational device). Their victory against tall odds is phony and the film's symbolism goes over the top in a climax of the drug money exploding in its cesspool hideaway, covering the baddies in excrement.

Despite the deficiencies of a script that unwisely mixes tongue-in-cheek elements with soapbox messages, Scottish director John Mackenzie keeps the pic moving and enjoyable on a strictly thriller level. Its unsubtle references to Iran-contra are more fun for film historians than action fans, leading to an ending on tv identical in purpose to the rabble-rousing conclusion of Alex Cox' similarly preachy "Walker".

Dennehy is excellent in delivering a liberal message in the form of a free-thinking independent who's tired of the expediency and greed of a system riddled with phony patriots. Guy Boyd ably leads the gang of Machiavellian villains and Aussie thesp Deborra-Lee Furness makes a good impression as Dennehy's wife.

Former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor adds punch with his guitar solos.

Miss-Marketed and Ignored Movie about Four Honest Cops Knee-Deep in the Stench of Political and Law-Enforcement Corruption.

Reagan-Era Blow-Back about Highly Corrupt Politicians and Leaders in the LAPD Using Drug-Money to Get Rich and Fund the "Freedom-Fighters" in Central America.

Thinly Veiled Commentary about the Iran-Contra Scandal.

The Studio seemed Nervous about the Political Aspects of this Character Study.

It's about an Elite Squad of Brian Dennehy, Joey Pants, Jeff Fahey, and Bill Paxton Uncovering Not Only Drug-Trafficking but Corruption at the Highest Levels.

The Movie was Ignored by the Studio and Given the Bum's Rush.

Did Not Screen Well with Critics (What do they know?).

The Film is a Fine Action/Drama with the Four Actors Delivering Good Character Comradery and are a Convincing Squad.

Suspenseful Story Peppered with Good Action.

Underrated and Unacknowledged Film that Deserves a Second-Look.

While I can't say "Last of the Finest" will go down as one of the most memorable films ever made, I am a bit surprised at how few reviews there are for it on this site since it is pretty decent for what it is. The movie is about a squad of four elite vice cops, who take their favorite past time of football just as seriously as do their job. They were formed to do the stuff that the ordinary cops couldn't. But when they start hitting brick walls after a failed drug bust, they begin to suspect that their superiors and possibly even some powerful players in the US government are involved in the drug trade in order to support some rebels fighting in Central America. So in order to find out the truth, they decide to resign and work outside the law. Admittedly this probably sounds similar to other films you might have seen. But the film manages to maintain it's own feel, manly due to the camaraderie and chemistry among the actors who play our heroes. You have the always enjoyable Brian Dennehy as the group's leader Frank, Joe Pantoliano as Wayne, Jeff Fahey as Ricky, and Brian Paxton as Hojo. All play their parts well and Brian Dennehy is able to shine as the one of the good guys instead of the usual heavies he's played through out his career.

And while the story may not be the most original ever written, it is one that has good dialog and also one that has an important message under the surface: Never, under any circumstances, trust your government, especially when they claim to be doing something for the common good! The film especially shows this at the very end in a sly, clever way. When you see it, you'll know what I mean. The movie does start out a little slow but at the same time you do get a chance to really know the characters and care about them. The movie also has some pretty decent villains in the form of Michael C. Gwynne as the Slimy Anthony Reece and Guy Boyd as Norringer. Like I mentioned earlier, the film seems to have gone under the radar. Perhaps it's because the market was already saturated with cop-buddy films at that time and the audience probably was getting tired of them by then. Still, if you should find yourself with nothing to do and are looking for a decent cop film, give "Last of the Finest" a chance.

I saw this on TV and was disappointed in how small a role Bill Paxton had in it. He was the main reason I was interested in seeing it. The movie is not that bad, but it wasn't anything I hadn't seen before, either. If you're interested in cop dramas, this one is average.