By Emilio Frenk.
Cast: Shirley MacLaine, Amanda Seyfried, AnnJewel Lee Dixon, Thomas Sadoski, Tom Everett Scott, Joel Murray, Anne Heche, Gedde Watanabe and Philip Baker Hall.
Rating: Very Good.
Mark Pellington, director of musical videos for rock groups like “Pearl Jam”, “U2” and many others and movies like “Arlington Road” and “The Mothman Prophecies” brings “The Last Word” a drama that brings positive results.
The movie tells the story of Harriet Lauler (Shirley MacLaine) a retired businesswoman who after seeing an obituary in a local newspaper decides she wants to write her own.
She seeks the help of local writer Anne Sherman (Amanda Seyfried) who will not only be writing Harriet´s obituary but at the same time she will be in the search for truth about Harriet´s life and colleagues.
Eventually this will lead to a friendship between them and Harriet will teach Anne the real meaning of life and to cherish every single moment of it.
One of the things that I liked of “The Last Word” was the performances by both Shirley MacLaine and Amanda Seyfried and of course the directing by Mark Pellington who knew how to capture those moments between the two actresses.
The screenplay by Stuart Ross Fink, which happens to be his first one is written with so much detail and the use of both comedy and drama of the work at all levels.
Fink achieved a very funny and engaging script and the chemistry between MacLaine and Seyfried works at all time.
The movie by moments was a little bit slow paced but I understood why it had that pacing and it´s completely justified.
There were moments of the film like that were predictable but it didn´t bother me.
The message of the film which is of acceptance and forgiveness is very powerful and I was very moved from the film and the friendship between the main characters which I enjoyed.
The third act of the film it has been one of the acts that has been most moving and I was very moved with the message of it.
“The Last Word” is a movie that I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and I give it a huge recommendation for the performances of Shirley MacLaine and Amanda Seyfried and the originality of the story as well.