The Last Word

Harriet Lauler (Shirley MacLaine) is an opinionated controlling rich old lady. She's retired after running an advertising company. Her family is estranged and nobody likes her. After OD'ing on her meds, she starts being concerned about her obituary. She hires newspaper obit writer Anne Sherman (Amanda Seyfried) to write one for her.

After talking to the at-risk girls, the story end point is more than obvious. There is also an obvious route for this movie. It's two great actresses on a road trip to self-discovery. Shirley MacLaine has made a career out of this character. This movie just needs some good writing. The writing is sometimes good standard stuff but sometimes gets clunky. The two leads usually are able to work out some good chemistry but some scene falls completely flat. For example, Anne is on a date when Harriet confronts her about her writing. It's an important moment but the date keep budding into it. He's a third wheel who keeps causing them to drive off course. Then there is the main third wheel, the little girl. She's the quintessential sassy black girl. She gets overshadowed despite the movie wanting her to be the breakout star. Harriet's reconnection with her daughter ends with a weird fake laugh. The audience is just like the other characters, looking at Harriet side-eyed. At the end of the day, I just want this to be better. The writing needs to be better.

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.

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

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!

This film tells the story of an elderly woman who is difficult and controlling. One day, she comes up with the idea of controlling what her obituary should look like. Therefore, she hires an obituary writer to work on the last words that would summarise her existence on Earth.

The first five minutes should have been a warning sign for me. There is little dialog, as the screen shows Shirley MacLaine's character, Harriet being grumpy by herself. Then, she is as difficult as can be, evoking no sympathy for her from me.

I can't quite bear her creating artificial relationships with Amanda Seyfried and the little girl either, as their bond with Harriet is contrived and unconvincing. Am I really to believe that you can chat up a little girl in the school yard, and subsequently take the girl on a one day trip without parental consent? The whole subplot of the little girl is seriously flawed.

The story is slow, and there is not enough content to fill the screen time. I felt seriously bored. I almost dosed off when Harriet does something similar on the sofa. Then something unbelievable happens. I cannot possibly imagine anyone does what Amanda Seyfried does in that situation. Her lack of action is entirely absurd and senseless.

Normally I like a brain off film with a predictable plot, but "The Last Word" manages to bore and irritate me.