Harriet is a retired businesswoman who tries to control everything around her. When she decides to write her own obituary, a young journalist takes up the task of finding out the truth, resu... Read allHarriet is a retired businesswoman who tries to control everything around her. When she decides to write her own obituary, a young journalist takes up the task of finding out the truth, resulting in a life-altering friendship.Harriet is a retired businesswoman who tries to control everything around her. When she decides to write her own obituary, a young journalist takes up the task of finding out the truth, resulting in a life-altering friendship.
AnnJewel Lee Dixon
- Brenda
- (as AnnJewel Lee Majestic Dixon)
Valeri Ross
- Wanda Byers
- (as Valerie Ross)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
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Featured reviews
Very Enjoyable
I have to admit going into this a little unprepared and not sure what to expect. I hadn't read any write ups and went in with very little knowledge of what the movie was about.
I nearly always like Shirley MacLaine movies, she rarely does a bad one and Amanda Seyfried usually does OK. This was no exception and Shirley MacLaine really shines in this one. The roles is not really new, we have seen her in this type of role before so it is one she is either picked for or picks for herself.
Amanda Seyfried does quite well, but the real performance to look out for is from AnnJewel Lee Dixon, she really does make for a fun movie and steals some of the scenes she is in from Shirley MacLaine.
Word of warning, if you don't like the use of foul language by young children you may not like this movie, be prepared for that.
Some would say this is a predictable movie, so be it, it probably is, but it is also very entertaining and worth the price of admission.
8/10 for me and I would see it again.
I nearly always like Shirley MacLaine movies, she rarely does a bad one and Amanda Seyfried usually does OK. This was no exception and Shirley MacLaine really shines in this one. The roles is not really new, we have seen her in this type of role before so it is one she is either picked for or picks for herself.
Amanda Seyfried does quite well, but the real performance to look out for is from AnnJewel Lee Dixon, she really does make for a fun movie and steals some of the scenes she is in from Shirley MacLaine.
Word of warning, if you don't like the use of foul language by young children you may not like this movie, be prepared for that.
Some would say this is a predictable movie, so be it, it probably is, but it is also very entertaining and worth the price of admission.
8/10 for me and I would see it again.
Pleasant but not great
This is a predictable movie - will not give anything away as you will see it for yourself. Shirley Maclaine is fun to watch and believable -she is a lady used to having her way and all of a sudden she is having questions about how she will be remembered. The main characters beside her, are the obit writer and the young person she is going to help and turn their life around. This is a film that is easy to watch, predictable and believable. Just not a great one but a good way to spend the afternoon.
Shirley MacLaine did a wonderful job
Shirley MacLaine did a wonderful job. That is it. The movie in itself was predictable and they of course had to throw in a little kid that was quite annoying. But Shirley MacLaine was great!
The Last Word may be highly predictable even with different concept,it worked because of Shirley's worthy performance.
The Last Word (2017): Dramas may not have strong content but it always triumphs with extraordinary performances and emotional scenes.But surprisingly The Last Word has good content and star-cast is very good.But at the end it just managed to get just an OK reaction from me.
Plot: Harriet (Shirley MacLaine) is a successful, retired businesswoman who wants to control everything around her until the bitter end. To make sure her life story is told her way, she pays off her local newspaper to have her obituary written in advance under her watchful eye. But Anne (Amanda Seyfried), the young journalist assigned to the task, refuses to follow the script and instead insists on finding out the true facts about Harriett's life, resulting in a life-altering friendship
My Review: Here's another one of those by-the-numbers heart-warmers whose every narrative move you can predict 10 minutes before it unfolds.So why does this story about an unlovable woman who wants to edit her own obituary still work like a charm?It stars Shirley MacLaine, who's gloriously grumpy – and appealing – as Harriet Lawlor, a former ad executive who has alienated everyone in her life, including her daughter. Even her priest can't stand her.
The idea of writing your own obituary when things aren't going well itself has scope of good comedy and drama.The Last Word has both the factors but only in limited quantity.The character seems to be in search of purpose much like the script itself. It's engaging enough to see through to the end, despite the material being so light it's a wonder it doesn't float away.
This entirely predictable film has became watchable mainly because of Shirley MacLaine who rocked with her stellar performance.There is an energy and commitment in her performance that gives the film a jolt of life.Seyfried, who can be a vivid actress, has been handed an underwritten part.
So,The Last Word may be highly predictable even with different concept,it worked because of Shirley's worthy performance.
My rating 6.5/10
Plot: Harriet (Shirley MacLaine) is a successful, retired businesswoman who wants to control everything around her until the bitter end. To make sure her life story is told her way, she pays off her local newspaper to have her obituary written in advance under her watchful eye. But Anne (Amanda Seyfried), the young journalist assigned to the task, refuses to follow the script and instead insists on finding out the true facts about Harriett's life, resulting in a life-altering friendship
My Review: Here's another one of those by-the-numbers heart-warmers whose every narrative move you can predict 10 minutes before it unfolds.So why does this story about an unlovable woman who wants to edit her own obituary still work like a charm?It stars Shirley MacLaine, who's gloriously grumpy – and appealing – as Harriet Lawlor, a former ad executive who has alienated everyone in her life, including her daughter. Even her priest can't stand her.
The idea of writing your own obituary when things aren't going well itself has scope of good comedy and drama.The Last Word has both the factors but only in limited quantity.The character seems to be in search of purpose much like the script itself. It's engaging enough to see through to the end, despite the material being so light it's a wonder it doesn't float away.
This entirely predictable film has became watchable mainly because of Shirley MacLaine who rocked with her stellar performance.There is an energy and commitment in her performance that gives the film a jolt of life.Seyfried, who can be a vivid actress, has been handed an underwritten part.
So,The Last Word may be highly predictable even with different concept,it worked because of Shirley's worthy performance.
My rating 6.5/10
Shirley MacLaine testament
This movie caught me off guard. I was expecting a boring, standard movie with a few funny sketches when I was rewarded with a brilliant, profound movie that came to me as a tiny mirror of my own life. You won't regret it but in the end, these are just my thoughts.
Did you know
- TriviaVeteran British actress Millicent Martin enjoys a quick cameo as a "Margaret Dumont". This was surely slipped in as a sly tribute to the legendary character actress Margaret Dumont by the film's star, Shirley MacLaine, who'd appeared with her in What a Way to Go! (1964).
- Goofs(at around 30 mins) Anne gets a full bottle of tea from her father. A few seconds later, the bottle is drained a good amount. But immediately after, she opens the bottle, as one can hear her; there wasn't any similar activity before.
- ConnectionsReferences Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
- SoundtracksAny Time At All
Written by Al Lerner
Performed by Al Lerner and Dick Haymes
Courtesy of Tru-Gems Records, LLC
By arrangement with Wolf House Songs LLC
- How long is The Last Word?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,783,421
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $31,630
- Mar 5, 2017
- Gross worldwide
- $2,982,004
- Runtime
- 1h 48m(108 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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