Her Last Chance

Kellie Martin gives yet another over the top and clichéd performance as the drug addict teen. This, however is compensated for by her support cast. The average script is played wonderfully by most of the young actors and a catchy soundtrack helps make this movie memorable. Brandis steals the show as the lovable bad-guy who meets an untimely end and the last minute twist is interesting to say the least.

This is a very mature film about drug-addiction,not like many other movies with this theme.Kellie Martin plays a pretty neurotic girl who gets involved with the thriller-lifestile of her friends and gets accused of her boyfriends death after a wild party.Then she realises that this isn't what she really wants and that she must have psychological help.... One of the greatest scenes is with the party by the swimming-pool,with "Waydown" by Catherine Wheel on the background. I gave it a 9/10!

As she wrestles with sanity and desire in this deftly-paced, cathartic drama, Kellie Martin shows yet again that she can infuse even the darkest character with strength and serenity, dappled with her signature girlish charm. Getting a potent dose of discipline and understanding from her ex-junkie counselor (played with stern compassion by Jenna Elfman) Martin makes an odyssey from spiraling recklessness to confidence and control by discovering the sinewy character she never knew she had. Patti LuPone dazzles as her concerned but misguided mother-- she is never gullible but always faithful when it counts. Jonathan Brandis portrays with aplomb the petulant suburban rebel whose suave facade hides a well of desperation and loneliness. Scenes between Brandis and Martin are eerily scored with a hard rock cover of Soft Cell's "Tainted Love". Not to miss: drug binges masterfully intercut with an imaginary music video and Martin's final dope dreams punctured by a glimpse of herself in the coke mirror!

Having followed the career of Miss Martin for quite some time I was very disappointed that she agreed to play in this movie. I love the work of Miss Martin: she is a great actress and I am pleased to see her in E.R. but this movie was a complete catastrophe. During the complete running time of the movie I was always distracted by the fact that she was not the girl to play this part i.c. opposite of J. Brandis there couldn't have been a greater difference between two people: she was playing the quite gentle shy girl, he was the know-it/seen it all kind of guy who is living from his parents money and has yet to prove that he can earn his income independently! She was on drugs!!! Come on! I am sorry to say that Miss Martin was totally miscast! Being the producer on this show answers a lot! The other thing that annoyed me very much was the overweight of Miss Martin: I even didn't recognize her at the beginning of the film due to her very round face!

I caught this movie on tv the other day and surprised myself by watching the entire thing. Kellie Martin did an excellent job playing "the good girl" who's got everyone completely convinced that she's all right, while secretly being a drug addict. Her lies catch up with her, and then no one believes her once she starts to tell the truth. Having known many people like this in high school, I was very impressed. Also, the weight in her face was very cute and helped her look very young and innocent, as was needed. She even managed to convincingly play a drug addict! Overall, I was quite impressed - a relatively implausible storyline played very realistically.