Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

The Last Word Blu-ray Movie Review

Rage, rage against the dying of the light!

Reviewed by Casey Broadwater June 8, 2009

From films that seek to understand it, like The Sea Inside or The Virgin Suicides, to movies that use it as a comic device, like Harold and Maude, suicide has always had an acknowledged but unhallowed history on the silver screen. As a dramatic or comedic subject, it requires finesse in both scope and tone. The inherent tension of an individual on the verge of self- annihilation is easily exploited, hyperbolized, or otherwise fudged by a dull cinematic blade. On the other hand, treat it too lightly and, well, we are talking about suicide here. With this in mind, it’s easy to understand why filmmakers tread lightly around the act itself. Few films broach the issue with the complex solemnity it deserves, and fewer still can play it for laughs while retaining some semblance of humanity. The Last Word ekes by in both categories, supported largely by its mostly clever script and a unique premise that deserves the clichéd but apt tag of “quirky indie comedy.”

"I was a starving writer, doing freelance work no one ever read."

With poetry dead and buried under the broadband cables and electronic hum of the 21st century, gifted writer Evan Merck (Wes Bentley) plies his trade writing florid suicide notes for the soon-to- be-dearly-departed. It’s easy to see why Bentley was cast here. Much like his role in American Beauty—where his eyes were caught by the hypnotic swirling of a plastic bag in the wind— his character in The Last Word requires an awkward, steely-eyed intensity that he is more than capable of delivering. A keen observer, Evan sits across from his depressed clientele and notes the sad minutiae of their lives and desires. After multiple drafts, he presents them with a carefully constructed final farewell, their last words. When Evan goes to the funeral of one such client, he meets Charlotte (a not-quite-back-to-form Winona Ryder), the beautiful and free- wheeling sister of the deceased. They fumble through the throes of a nascent relationship, while Evan piles one lie onto another in a foolish attempt to keep Charlotte unaware of his true occupation.

Though the film bills itself as a romantic comedy (check the front of the case, it’s there), this marketing ploy is more than a hair misleading. Yes, there’s romance—of the “let’s see how long I can lie to her and get away with it” variety—and yes, the film has it’s share of casket-black comedy, but the real relationship in the film is the one that develops between Evan and his newest client, Abel, a sarcastic composer of telephone “hold music” who has given up on his symphonic intentions. Abel is played with dour, sad-sack charm by Ray Romano, and it’s nice to see him in a role with a little more grit than his usual light-weight fare. As Evan churns out revision after revision of Abel’s parting words, they develop a strange friendship that begins to breech the doctor/patient relationship, so to speak. They fly a remote controlled helicopter together, Abel shares his favorite stress relief technique—making scary faces at babies—and the two begin to see a bit of themselves in one another. One poignant moment has Abel confessing that, if he could have any other occupation, he would “buy a cliff where people could come and throw shit off.” He imagines lines of dissatisfied businessmen hurling fax machines and printers off the ledge, each frustrating object rigged with explosives to blow.

Abel’s dream job is clearly a hope for pseudo-suicide, a safe re-enactment of annihilation that would give death-seekers the thrill and catharsis that they need to keep on living. It’s a beautiful dream, if a bit optimistic, and the film works best when exploring the ethical dilemmas faced by Evan as he pens the final thoughts of the hopeless. How can he, in all good conscience, do what he does? While the rom-com elements are all in place to lighten the otherwise grim mood, it’s the film’s ruminations on life, love, and death that keep it from being buried under a pile of similar Sundance-style comedies.

The Last Word Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Before The Last Word, director Geoffrey Haley served as camera operator on numerous film and television productions, and his expertise is well exemplified here. Sporting a full 1080p, AVC/MPEG-4 2.35:1 transfer (disregard the box reading 1080i), the film has an inviting cinematic look that exceeds the limitations of its budget. The warm palette, an unusual but effective choice for a film largely about death, revels in bold oranges, reds, and yellows. Textures prove crisp and cleanly rendered with little evidence of over-sharpening. Check out Evan's corduroy coat; the peaks and valleys of the fabric pop convincingly off the screen. Additionally, the grain field throughout has a pleasing dispersion, and only certain outdoor scenes suffer from excessive film noise. The transfer isn't perfect, however. Many characters are outfitted in funereal blacks, and details like the edges of suit lapels sometimes get lost in the crush. I also noticed a few white specks on an otherwise clean print. And while most of the film is suitably sharp, some shots from the rooftop scene appear inexplicably soft, and the whole film could do with a slightly better sense of depth. All said though, the defects in visual fidelity are hardly noticeable and won't take away from anyone's enjoyment of the film.

The Last Word Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

What this DTS-HD MA 5.1 track lacks in immersion, it makes up in stalwart clarity. Voices glide through the mix with a round, full-bodied timbre, and no signs of distortion or clipping. The aching orchestral score stretches and lifts convincingly. Piano keys strike with somber precision. Though used sparsely, the rear channels do provide some ambience—the clinking of glasses, traffic sounds, vocal pans—and the LFE channel gets a few chances to chug and thwomp during a particularly raucous club scene. While I may not have felt like I was standing in the center of the film, I was never taken out of the experience by any audio inadequacies.

The Last Word Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

I was, however, a bit disappointed by The Last Word's lack of extra features. At the very least I was hoping for a commentary track by Geoffrey Haley. I would've liked to hear about the genesis of the story, mostly to confirm my theory that the idea struck while he was working as a cameraman on Six Feet Under. This package, however, is the definition of barebones, and arrives with only a theatrical trailer (480p), a smattering of deleted scenes (480p), and a brief production stills gallery (1080p).

The Last Word Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Last Word is an assured debut from writer/director Geoffrey Halley, and I definitely look forward to whatever project he has in the pipeline next. While it flew mostly under the radar this year, the film is funny and moving without going over-the-top in either respect. I enjoyed it, but I'd advise prospective buyers to rent the title first, as the subject matter won't appeal to all viewers.