Apenas uma Noite

"Last Night" is a drama in its pure state. Wrapped around a couple who is married for 3 years, it discusses about basic pillars of marriage and its fundamental importance and effects once shattered. The couple who values loyalty and Trust yet finds themselves in situations to be disloyal lures up in lust and desires, at time becomes helpless although they are deeply in love with each other.

Joanna Reed (Keira Knightley) is the wife who is a writer and a works freelance most of the time spends her time at home. Michael Reed (Sam Worthington) is the husband who works in a construction contract company sometimes goes out of town for business purposes. They live in a decent apartment in the city and lives normal just like any other couple with small arguments and moment of love. After attending to an office party Joanna notices that her husband is spending time with a lady friend Laura who she was not aware earlier and suspects that he has something else to do with her. After a mild argument Michael leaves town for a business trip with a team which involves Laura which makes Joanna quite uncomfortable. But for her amusement while she spends the day alone she meets her x boyfriend unexpectedly and decides to go out for dinner with him. While Michael spends time Laura and finds himself to be irresistibly charmed by her, Joanna spends the night with her past love confused and feeling insecure.

This movie is not unique. Or it does not have truly dramatic turns or twist. But it flows smooth and calmly while giving the viewer ample time to think the characters and most of the time guess what their next moves will be. More than just watching a story this is about looking in to humans and the way they behave and emotions. If I say 'Last Night' is more about feelings than a story it will be quite correct. When it comes to performances I quite admire everyone in the main roles. Keira is stunning with her looks and attitude throughout and Sam plays the confused husband with skill.

Marriage comes with thick boundaries with love and trust deeply caged in it. Yet at times that strong boundary seems to be so thin and fragile when life becomes complicated and feelings are not just words. Maybe living with the guilt of not knowing the boundaries is the toughest of all.

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OK, what is going on please? Here is an excellent, skilfully crafted, intelligently paced and well structured movie with a most complimentary screenplay, and it should of course be rated at 8.x out of 10. Yet, as I write it is barely rated above average. Sorry, but I have to knock myself on the head a couple of times just to check that I am now indeed only seeing 6.7 out of ten for a most excellent relationship themed movie.

I am not at all sure what is wrong with most people who've rated this movie "a notch above so so", save for the usual obvious problems when it comes to matters of 'most people'... Nonetheless, I am reminded that most people often get it right: Matchpoint was correctly rated, Two Lovers was fairly rated, Before Sunrise also got the high rating it so deserved. However, here is a movie which is every bit as excellent as those named movies, albeit being in its own inimitable way different, yet it is still currently (Spring 2011) faced with the travesty of being so unjustly under-appreciated.

Please watch this movie if the themes of modern relationships, loyalty, trust, and betrayal are of any interest to you, and you should find, as I did, that its insanely 'above average rating' is well short of the mark. For this movie is a near masterpiece as a study of such themes. The performances of the lead actors/actresses, its screenplay, direction, score, production are all first rate. Don't miss this movie if you've a brain in your head, and if themes concerning relationships are of any interest to you at all. I also rated Matchpoint, Before Sunrise, & Two Lovers very highly, in case you're wondering if my word is worth following. Then you should also find it to be worth a far more realistic 9/10

Last Night is a typical movie that my girlfriend would usually enjoy on our movie date on Fridays. Romance! Another chick flick I thought. I was actually in suspense from beginning to end. What's so great about this movie is that fact that many of us could've empathized in any end of the spectrum. For a movie that took place in one day, it wasn't as obvious since each plot was meticulously thought of. In any given moment I'm expecting to guess the next scene, no cigar. What really got me is the end. The writer left us in suspense. Okay are you going to say something about the purple stilettos? I hope there's a part two. This definitely a couples movie. This movie definitely deserve a better rating than what's given.

This movie is not understandable for everyone. I do believe you need to have some life experience, some relationship experience marriage or long term to understand and feel it.

For me every actor plays their role amazingly. That's what makes movie even more better. You literally feel their emotions.

I have read so many wonderful reviews I just wanted to add that we look at Jo and Alex and we feel love and we think that it would have been wonderful if they end up together. But that's not the reality. It is beautiful and it is so desirable because it is not possible. Once it becomes the reality it will be all ruined.

One question that this movie brings up is about cheating and betrayal. For me Joanna has cheated "more" than Michael. You see Michael realizing straight away that he made a mistake and jumps on the way back but on the other hand you see Joanna fulfilled with emotions and desires but not for Michael but Alex.

Alex is a romantic movie for Joanna, she wants to have it as a perfect dream and every time she has this moment of unhappiness she could think of "what if"

The movie is amazing. My favorite and I definitely recommend to watch it. I believe anyone can relate themselves to at least one of the characters.

Rather enjoyed this film at the Rome Film Festival last night. The atmosphere of New York by night and the soundtrack itself made it worth the half an hour delay getting in! The main performances are strong, Keira puts in a surprisingly convincing interpretation as the wife who meets her previous love the day her husband is out of town with a female colleague he likes. It discusses the nature of love, betrayal, marriage and sentiment in a thoughtful way, without the usual labelling of people as cheaters and victims. It should encourage us to realise that life and relationships are more complex and that ultimately, nobody really belongs to anyone (however much we might like to think we do). It's a shame these days that we only get to see the lives of the beautiful, very well-to-do folk (in their wonderful apartments, sipping on fine wine) on the big screen as if temptation within marriage was a luxury that only the wealthy and obscenely photogenic can afford. Anyway, universal themes are dealt with well and it's good fodder for a long conversation afterwards.