The Last Word

This movie is phenomenal.The script is well written and the characters have portrayed themselves very well. Its about a writer who writes the suicide notes. He never tries to forbid his clients from going ahead with their suicides. That's also strange.

Ray's character is great. He does some unusually strange things.Scaring the baby and the concept of venting you anger on inanimate objects were very original and idiosyncratic.

You will love this movie if you ever had setbacks in your life. Its a different take on life and the thinking of various people. Things we think of but never verbalize in public.

This is the finest comedy/drama I've seen in a couple of years, and it has the most satisfying ending I've ever seen. The film stars Wes Bentley (ironically, Haley shot the famous videotape of the plastic bag that Bentley shows to Thora Birch in "American Beauty") as Evan, who is a professional author of suicide notes. He meets with his clients, gets a sense of what they want, then asks them to keep a journal of their thoughts for a few weeks, after which Evan produces a poetic, client-customized suicide note for the soon-to-be-departed. He has become so prolific that one of his clients won a national poetry prize for Evan's note; the ever-mordant Evan is quick to add that the prize was, of course, awarded posthumously.

Evan estimates that 30% of his clients actually kill themselves; one who does is a young man named Matt Morris. When Evan attends Matt's funeral---he often attends the graveside service to evaluate the effect of his note on those in attendance---, Matt's sister Charlotte (Winona Ryder) follows him out of the service and asks him if he was a friend of her brother's. Evan lies that he went to Cornell with Matt, and soon he and Charlotte are dating. Trouble ensues when Evan eats dinner at Charlotte's house with the whole surviving family firing questions at him.

Meanwhile, we meet Evan's newest client, Abel (an excellent Ray Romano), an acerbic misanthrope with a death wish. They develop an unlikely bond, and there are some extremely touching (and hilarious) exchanges between the two as they work on Abel's farewell (in one such conversation, Abel, encouraging Evan to pursue Charlotte, tells him to buy her a puppy: "Girls love puppies. They're like heroin with fur!").

Things get complicated between Evan and Charlotte as he has must go to increasingly absurd lengths to conceal his true occupation and the real reason that he knew her brother. I won't reveal any more of the plot, because this is a ride truly to be enjoyed by the moviegoer.

Bentley fulfills the promise he showed in "American Beauty." He manages to imbue his characteristic monotone and piercing gaze with enough hints of emotion to reveal the depths of grief churning below his icy surface. Romano shows surprising dramatic range while retaining his trademark wit; it will be interesting to see if he continues to try to stretch his acting range. (On a side note, he admitted in the post-film Q&A that his psychiatrist reads the script before Romano will commit to any project.) Ryder is the only weak link here. She does a competent job, her doe eyes signaling the hurt over her brother's death that is only worsened by Evan's seeming callousness, but her acting doesn't rise to the level of her co- stars. Thankfully, it is really Bentley and Romano's film, and they make the most of it.

This is an astounding first feature from Haley, who wrote the screenplay in his trailer during breaks while lensing the final season of "Six Feet Under." Although he hasn't yet struck a distribution deal, potential buyers in yesterday's audience could not ignore the thunderous ovation that met the closing credits. Go see this one when it comes out in a theater near you, which it will. You won't be disappointed.

Wes Bentley (from American Beauty) stars as Evan, a very solitary guy who writes suicide notes for other people. At a funeral for one of his clients he meets Charlotte (played by Winona Ryder) who forms an instant attraction to him.

This movie is about their relationship and how their relationship influences and changes Evan's life. All the characters are well developed and realized, and the actors portray them very well. The movie is an original and clever take on the usual romantic comedy. Due to Evan's vocation, it is quite dark. I think 'black romantic comedy' defines its genre well.

The movie seemed very real despite the fact that it centers around a vocation that doesn't really exist (at least on the surface of today's society). It was funny and well written. I highly recommend it for anybody who is looking for a dark romantic comedy that is out of the ordinary.

So-so. Was initially interesting but drifts from a point and fizzles out. Could have been profound, but ultimately wasn't.

Good to see Winona Ryder, in a rare decent 2000s role for her (good to see Winona Ryder, full stop). Solid performance from her. Wes Bentley is a bit irritating in his role, but maybe it is because the longer the movie went on, the more I disliked his character.

Comedy? No, folks, there are no laughs here. Great ending? Hah! The bit of relief at the end weighs like a feather compared to the darkness of the movie as a whole. This is a drama, a dark one, with suicide and love deceived and betrayed constantly in the background, yet the plot is compelling, and love tries to wriggle its way to the surface amid the human refuse. An excellent script, particularly if this is the writer's first. Strong, touching performances by Wes Bentley, Winona Ryder and Ray Romano. Don't see it when you're looking for some light entertainment for the evening. But when you're ready for something serious and something that might stick in your mind, see it then. There won't be many movies of its quality this year.