The Last Kiss – DVD Review

Film, Reviews



Available at Amazon.com

Director:

Tony Goldwyn

Starring:

Zach Braff ………. Michael
Jacinda Barrett ………. Jenna
Casey Affleck ………. Chris
Rachel Bilson ………. Kim
Blythe Danner ………. Anna
Tom Wilkinson ………. Stephen
Eric Christian Olsen ………. Kenny
Michael Weston ………. Izzy

The Movie

You might have missed a history-making moment at this year’s Academy Awards back in March. Paul Haggis became the first person in the history of the Academy Awards to write back-to-back “Best Picture” winners. He wrote Million Dollar Baby, which won in 2005, and Crash, which won this year. After accomplishing that, you might expect that any movie he helps write would get “greenlit” immediately. Paul probably has to fight off all of the big movie studios and distributors as they try to get their hands on the next “Best Picture” winner. The next movie from Paul Haggis to get released was The Last Kiss.

The Last Kiss is about a group of 30 year-olds struggling to adapt to adulthood while their aging parents face middle age. It’s all about intimate relationships and friendships. At the heart of the movie, there are four male friends dealing with how their relationships with women have evolved. Zach Braff stars as Michael. He’s 29 years old and confused about his life. His long-term girlfriend, Jenna (Jacinda Barrett), has just gotten pregnant. But then he meets a a younger woman in college named Kim (Rachel Bilson). She’s so different than his current girlfriend that it makes him rethink his life. Michael also has a few friends that are also “almost 30” and seem to be stuck in their lives. Chris (Casey Affleck) is married with one child, but is thinking about leaving his wife. Kenny (Eric Christian Olsen) is single and has one night stands every single night. Izzy (Michael Weston) can’t seem to let his ex-girlfriend go. Michael sees all of this around him and doesn’t want to end up like any of them, which makes him second guess his relationship with Jenna.

When you first look at the previews of The Last Kiss, you probably think this is Garden State 2. In Garden State, Zach Braff played a character that was confused about life right after college had ended. He was in his early 20’s and didn’t know what he wanted to do. Now in The Last Kiss, Zach Braff plays a character that is still confused about life as he is about to turn 30. It’s only natural to assume that this could be a sequel to that movie. However, they are completely different movies. The characters in The Last Kiss are more real. They all have real flaws that most everyone could relate to at some point in their lives. There is a wide range of relationships shown here. While Zach Braff’s character of Michael and his relationships with Kim and Jenna serve as the center of the movie, the other characters are given time to tell their stories and their problems.

The problem with this movie is that it will leave you more confused than Michael. Michael is easily “seduced” by Kim. While I can’t blame him, since it’s Rachel Bilson and she is absolutely sizzling on the screen, it just doesn’t make a lot of sense at times. It would be a little easier to swallow, if he didn’t have a baby coming on the way. Michael seems to be too nice of a guy that cares about everyone, which doesn’t seem to go along with the type of guy who would so easily cheat on his pregnant girlfriend. He plenty of times that he could have turned back, but he didn’t without a second thought.

Some of the casting choices were a little off as well. All of the minor characters are pretty good at their roles, and Zach Braff is excellent as the “confused” lead man. However, Barrett as Braff’s girlfriend just didn’t work at all. The problem is mainly with her character. She is almost created to be annoying and someone that Michael should run away from. There were far too many times when her screaming and yelling got a little annoying. Her reactions were real, but there were times in the movie that have you thinking that we just saw this scene not too long ago. In addition, Bilson was the correct choice for the college seductress, but a woman doesn’t usually act the way her character does when a woman knows that a guy has a girlfriend. It’s almost like she didn’t know at all. That would have worked a little better.

This movie is not a lot of things. It’s not really a “romantic comedy” as billed, and it’s definitely not the next “Best Picture” winner from Paul Haggis. The film alternates so much between comedy and extreme drama that you don’t know what it is at times. However, this movie is real. It’s true to life. The characters face problems that people in “the real world” have faced at some point in their lives. It’s a good movie that Zach Braff shines in, but it’s a little too confusing to make it a great movie.

The Video:

The video is given in 16:9 widescreen color. The transfer is good with little distortion. No problems here. In fact, the visuals are excellent. A definite positive.

The Audio:

The audio included is available in either English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound, English Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround sound, or French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound. There are subtitles available in English and Spanish as well. No real problems here either.

The Extras:

Audio Commentaries
There are two of these feature commentaries. One is with the director, Tony Goldwyn, and Zach Braff. The second one is with Tony Goldwyn and Zack Braff again, but they are joined by other cast members that include Jacinda Barrett, Rachel Bilson, Michael Weston, and Eric Christian Olsen. Why they have Tony and Zach in both commentaries is beyond me. In the first one, Tony and Zach talk about the film. The second is the exact same, but with more people talking about the film. Basically, Tony and Zach say some of the stuff they said in the first commentary in the second commentary and ask the others their opinion on it. It probably would have worked best as one commentary, but both are here to listen to. Entertaining nonetheless.

“The Last Kiss – Filmmakers’ Perspective” Featurette
This is a short featurette that features the main people behind the film talking about how this movie was adapted from a French film of the same name. Nothing really special about this.

“The Last Kiss – Getting Together” Featurette
This is longer than the last featurette and better. This has most of the main actors and main crew talking about how they got hired or cast to do this film. This is your standard “behind-the-scenes” featurette.

“The Last Kiss – Behind Our Favorite Scenes” Featurette
This is the cast of the movie talking about their favorite scenes. I’m sure that is shocking, but it’s interesting to hear what the actors think are the best scenes in the movie.

“The Last Kiss – Last Thoughts” Featurette
Just some more thoughts on the movie from everyone involved.

Deleted Scenes
You know the drill here. These are scenes cut for time or other reasons. There are some alternate endings in here as well. They don’t really help the ending that much, though.

Gag Reel
This where you have all of the mistakes and bloopers from the movie. Fairly amusing.

Cary Brothers’ “Ride” Music Video
This is the music video for one of the songs in the movie called “Ride” by the Cary Brothers. Zach Braff actually directed this video, which is probably why it’s a special feature.

THE INSIDE PULSE

This is not Garden State 2, but that could be a good thing. It’s more mature and real than the aforementioned movie. However, this movie can’t decide what it wants to be. It’s not as hilarious as advertised, but it’s not dramatic enough to call it that either. It’s a slightly above average movie made so by the performance of Zach Braff, among others. I would recommend a rental, but buyers of this movie may be strictly Zach Braff fans. Or Rachel Bilson fans as she’s smokin’ hott!

The DVD Lounge’s Ratings for The Last Kiss
CATEGORY
RATING
(OUT OF 10)
THE MOVIE

6
THE EXTRAS

6
REPLAY VALUE

7
OVERALL
6
(NOT AN AVERAGE)

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