The Last Lullaby

It's hard to believe this is a first-time feature effort for director Jeffrey Goodman. It passed my ultimate movie test: I was never bored for a moment, nor did my attention waver. The spare dialog, the juxtaposition of the loud, jarring gunshots with the quiet pace of the movie, the inexorable drawing-together of Price and Sarah, were woven together beautifully to create a memorable movie. Tom Sizemore says volumes without saying a word. His tortured face and body language say it all. The fact that this is something of a comeback film for the brilliant Mr. Sizemore, whose past behavior has not been consistent with his talents, makes it even more delicious to watch. Bravo to Jeffrey Goodman for a terrific movie!

The Last Lullaby (2008)

Here's a film that reinvigorates the true moody, classic, slightly low-budget intensity of film noir. It's not latecomers like "Chinatown," Blood Simple," or "Mulholland Drive," which are strong movies on their own terms (and often waved as recent film noirs). "The Last Lullaby" survives and penetrates on the essence of a good noir--a leading protagonist who is lost in the world, a mysterious set of forces out to take him down, a leading female with dubious intentions, and gloomy dramatic filming to create a mood of uncertainty and, frankly, dark elegance.

This is a kind of masterpiece that I think will grow over time. Like some of the great noirs (to keep this theme going for just another thought), the first impression might be flawed, as if there is something too forced and stylized and sometimes even clunky going on. But this is part of what makes for style, and style is what makes for a lasting, unique movie. Think of "The Big Heat" or even "Double Indemnity." (For some reason, "Point Blank" with Lee Marvin comes to mind as as somewhat newer parallel).

Tom Sizemore makes the movie. He's a hit-man seemingly drifting out of the business, but having nowhere to go or nothing to do with himself. And then his skills get called into play, almost by instinct. Sizemore manages laconic better than anyone. He's not weary, exactly, but indifferent because of a long violent life. (The actor might be remembered best for his terrific role in "Natural Born Killers," a good pedigree for this movie.) And of course he meets a woman in an unlikely way, and the plots twists and twists.

But it doesn't spin out of control thanks to Sizemore's steady and yet expressive and really subtle performance. And the woman, played by Sasha Alexander (tons of television, including 20 episodes of "Dawson's Creek"), who has more depth and restraint than you'd expect in this kind of role. In fact, part of the whole thrill of the movie is the way the two leads, who make up nearly every scene, are so low key even as the events are bloody and out of control in their violence.

The cast, crew, writers, and so on are all relatively new, or coming from modest careers. That they all collide and make something this special happen is one of the thrills of collaborative artmaking--movies, above all, with so many components to go wrong, or to go right. You might not find this to your taste, but if you do, it might be one of the great surprises of the year. It was for me.

I drove to Dallas for the festival. Lullaby was first movie I saw. Wow! I wish all the entries were that good! It kept me in my seat from beginning to end. A movie without a potty break in the middle is an unheard of thing for me. I particularly liked the pace of the movie. It is a bit slower and more quiet that the usual Hollywood fare. Sizemore did a great job of blowing life into Price. His emotion felt real to me. An introverted, socially awkward ex-hit man requires some subtlety. Sizemore nailed it. The ending kept coming back to me for days after the movie. The movie is, as a friend of mine says about truly interesting things, "a thing that make you say, hmm".

Does he kill her or does he not? The Last Lullaby from first time feature film director Jeffrey Goodman holds you in suspense in the plot-driven film that has enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. His casting is brilliant as Tom Sizemore's intensity and inner conflicts are so realistic that somehow the viewer finds himself pulling for this hit man. Sizemore's intensity contrasts perfectly with Sasha Alexander's vulnerability. His character Price has been hired to kill her, but how can you kill someone who has been a victim for so long? Goodman's treatment of the narrative by Max Alan Collins and Peter Biegen employs a brilliant combination of non-graphic violence against a pastoral, yet frequently menacing backdrop. His gorgeous panoramic shots contrasted with extreme close-ups is unusual in a film with this size budget. His deliberately slow pace enhances the suspense and is a much needed respite from the noisy,frenetic world in which most of us live. His audio is at the proper decibel level, and his choice and use of music is the best that I have witnessed in any recent film.

I predict great things for this talented director.

The Last Lullabye was a very provocative and thrilling film. The actors, Tom Sizemore and Sasha Alexander, were well cast and captured the story lines in every detail. It was a fast moving plot. The cinematography was realistic without being too graphic. The young director, Jeffrey Goodman, is one to watch for future projects. Director Goodman's attention to detail and ability to translate the plot made for a very intensely interesting picture. The music chosen heightened the dramatic effect of the film capturing the intensity of the plot. The Last Lullabye should be a "must see" picture for mystery film enthusiasts.