The Last Rites of Joe May

From the title and opening scene I was so engaged to see what lay ahead for the main character, Joe May. I also felt several strong and differing emotions and was reminded that this is how film (/art) should make you feel.

Every component that made up this film; acting, soundtrack, setting, cast, etc, seemed to merge together perfectly to make it "real". So real that at least a portion of the characters reminded me of people I've known. In addition, one or two themes really struck home and have me thinking about life a little differently today. I expect everyone will relate/connect to certain aspects of this DON'T MISS film.

I first saw Dennis Farina in the TV series Crime Story in the end of 1980s. And he stuck in my memory as a guy portraying sleazy cops and gangsters. In this sense The Last Rites of Joe May is not far away from that image.

There is one significant difference, however. Although we're still in the shady underworld of low-level criminals, his character glows with genuine repentance. For once in his lifetime, he's trying to make things right, but it seems to be harder than he expects.

There's also another TV darling from 1980s and 1990s in this one, namely Gary Cole. Overall this is a very good movie.

I have always loved Dennis Farina's work, and I think he is one of our most underrated actors. I was drawn to this movie by the enthusiastic reviews of other Farina fans, and I was enthralled from the very beginning. One of the beauties of the film is its great understatedness. The dialogue plays a minimal part here in portraying where people are coming from; visual portrayal and facial expression are paramount here. Musical background is minimal, and what there is - in the form of Italian opera - is used masterfully. This is a sad but beautiful story of people in extremis, and like so many great stories - both literary and cinematic - it's a story of redemption. It's one of the few films I have seen that can be classified as great tragedies. Having said that, there's no question that the film is bleak and dark. This is the great role that was meant for Dennis Farina, and he hits it out of the park. Ave, atque, vale, Mr. Farina.

"The Last Rites of Joe May" has an excellent cast, headed by Dennis Farina, and wonderful screenplay (Joe Maggio). It's well directed and has quite an emotional impact on the viewer. Joe May is a man who has aspired to be more than he ever could be and refuses to accept the reality of his age and lack of achievements. He has few, if any, personal relationships, friendships or family. His arrival in the midst of Jenny and Angelina Rapp's lives is more important than any of them realize. Watching them interact and change and grow as people is both beautiful and painful. Truly realistic and moving. I was impressed with everything, from the portrayals of even the smallest parts to the details of Chicago streets and the understated score by Lindsay Marcus (not to mention Giuseppe Verdi).

The Last Rites of Joe May is Dennis Farina's bittersweet swan song, his final exodus from a long, epic and beloved career, showcasing the actor in the role he was always meant to play, and a lead role no less. He did a few other films after this one and a priceless cameo on Family Guy, but this is the spiritual final entry, and when you look at the story of the film, it's both eerie and fateful that the man would go on to pass away just a few years later. He plays Joe May here, a Chicago wiseguy and short money hustler who has been in the hospital with pneumonia for almost a year. Upon returning to his borough, he finds his apartment rented out to a woman (Jamie Anne Allman) and her daughter (Meredith Droeger), all his belongings sold, and his presence pretty much forgotten, with some even under the belief that he has died. The woman takes pity on him and let's him stay in his apartment with them if he helps her out, and he goes back to the same hustling, or at least tries too. All his ventures have gone dry, his former boss (a splendid Gary Cole) giving the cold shoulder. Joe starts to realize that one must face the eventual consequences of a life lived in selfishness and foolhardy actions, as he finds himself alone in the world and shunned even by his own son. He gets a shot at redemption upon having the little girl in his life, and being there to help out her mother who has one lowlife monster of a boyfriend that just happens to be a cop. Farina is sensational in every scene, and it's a shame the guy didn't ever get more lead roles. He makes Joe a grim yet sympathetic being who serves as a sorrowful reminder of how we all will arrive at the end of our road someday, and how important it is to line said road with good deeds, kindness, respect and worthwhile ventures, even if they only show up in the last few miles of it. This is a Tribeca festival film so it's tough to find, but anyone with a love for Farina or simple, well told and emotional stories should definitely check it out. The beautiful piano score adds to the loneliness of Joe and his state of mind, as does Farina's performance which a a gift to filmgoers and contains see of the hardest work and piercing truth I've ever seen from the guy. RIP.