Last Rites

So we have this priest, son of the mafia, who gets involved with this chick. I wasn't very hopeful on this, but it was the best offer TV could do that day. Not only we have Tom Berenger in top form, the film features Daphne Zuniga (why I had never heard of her before?), and Adrian Paul, way younger and before he put on the Highlander clothes, and in a small role. The plot is excellent, the performances are great and what to say? GO WATCH IT!

Despite every awful review this movie has received -including Roger Ebert ominous one as "the worst movie of 1988"- I loved it when it was first released and I still enjoy it.The plot may be faulty, but the atmosphere is great and the music by Bruce Broughton is -as expected-very good.For me -and many of my(according to what Mr.Ebert could think on this subject) "tasteless" friends, it still remains a cult film to be enjoyed again once in a while. The naivete of Michael (Tom Berenger) the priest has credibility in terms of his position in his family. The "finale" with his last phrase and the entrance of his sister Zena (Anne Twomey)and the very last scene at the car with her are simply terrific and impossible to forget no mater how many years have passed.

This flick is full of surprises, from beginning to end. Colorful location shots. Extremely sensual. Good plot. Better-than-average dialog. Excellent acting, directing, photography, editing. A real story, not just a movie created to show what some computer whiz kid can do with special effects.

LAST RITES is a hard movie to find in the rental stores, but well worth the effort. Apparently some group (!) has tried to keep it off the shelves because of the content. Don't let someone censor your viewing--rent or buy this movie and judge for yourself.

This film does show Berenger's truly broad range as an actor. It is one of those movies' that stick with you and kind of "haunt" you, in the very good way of being truly memorable, ultra-sexy and different! Bellasario's genius is well known now, but was truly evident in this early work of his.

50 Shades of Gray has nothing on the raw sexuality displayed so beautifully by Tom Berenger. My wonderful husband of 30 years has always known that even though Berenger is 16 years my senior, I would have an affair with him in a heart-beat. This film shows exactly why!

The ending of this movie leaves you breathless and yearning for more.

Priest Father Michael (Tom Berenger) has a father who's the head of one of the families in the Mafia. Michael protects Angela (Daphne Zuniga) who his father wants dead...and starts to fall in love with her despite being a priest. Now he's torn between love for his family, love for Angela or love for the church.

The story has been done before and there's plenty wrong with it. For starters Berenger is totally miscast as the priest. In the right roles Berenger can be good--but not here. He's also far too muscular for any priest I've ever seen. Zuniga (with an atrocious faked accent) is no more than OK. The story also has more plot holes than I cared to count. Still it does (somewhat) work.

Within the first 5 minutes you have female nudity AND full frontal male nudity (unusual in any Hollywood movie). Zuniga has about two nude scenes and Berenger shows off his muscular chest. It is well directed and has a nice music score. There's also a wonderful supporting performance by Anne Twomey as Michael's sister Zena. Also there's a GREAT ending. These do make the movie worth sitting through. Also this DID play in theatres despite what Leonard Maltin says in his video guide. I saw it in a tiny little theatre back in 1988 (it played a week and that was it). I distinctly remember the quiet audience actually laughing and applauded when the main villain got what was coming to them. This is no classic--heck it's not even a good movie--but it's not an utter disaster either. An OK time waster.