Title: The Last Word (2008)Starring: Wes Bentley, Winona Ryder, Ray Romano
Directed By: Geoffrey Haley
Don't let the lovey dovey looking poster fool you, this contemporary romantic comedy is as much about death and loneliness as it is about life and connection. Writer/director Geoffrey Haley crafts an intriguing story of connecting with someone through the grieving process and discovering reasons to live with or without someone else in your life. It's all very morbid and yet funny, poignant and at times, touching.
The story is that of Evan (Wes Bentley), a struggling writer who discovered some time ago that he has a knack for helping people pen their suicide notes. He's turned this into a fairly successful practice, but still longs to write a novel in his own words. Charlotte (Winona Ryder) is the sister of a recent client of Evan's. When he shows up at her brother's memorial service, she is intrigued by him. Thinking he is a college friend of her brother's, a lie which Evan himself told her, she wants to meet with him to learn more about her now dead brother. Evan reluctantly agrees and, of course, the two hit it off and begin a relationship. When he's not with Charlotte, Evan is meeting with clients to help them with their notes. One of them, Abel (Ray Romano), pushes Evan to become more involved with his clients and actually get to know them. Through their unorthodox budding friendship, Evan comes to the realization that he has to tell Charlotte the truth about his profession and his relationship to her brother.
From here the film cascades into a series of events that help define exactly what love and friendship and humanity are all about to these characters. It really is a touching and funny set of circumstances, and a fresh new look at life and love and friendship and death as a means of connecting to one another. I won't spoil the ending for you, but I will say this... the movie ends with a very funny and very fitting "bang". Highly recommended.
Score: 8.5/10
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