Last Night (1998)
Average Rating: 7.2/10
Reviews Counted: 49
Fresh: 41 | Rotten: 8
An engrossing, poignant film, Last Night examines the end of the world through humorous and thought-provoking dialogue.
Average Rating: 7.1/10
Critic Reviews: 9
Fresh: 7 | Rotten: 2
An engrossing, poignant film, Last Night examines the end of the world through humorous and thought-provoking dialogue.
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Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 7,391
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Movie Info
Don McKellar wrote and directed this comedy-drama about the last night of the world, part of the 12-film Arte series of movies about the Millennium. Set in Toronto, Patrick (McKellar) endures a faux Christmas celebration with his family while Sandra (Sandra Oh) tries to get across town to commit suicide with her husband, a gas company employee Duncan (David Cronenberg). Meanwhile, Craig (Callum Keith Rennie) hopes to achieve sexual satisfaction with several women on his list. Still mourning his
Jun 1, 1998 Wide
Mar 28, 2000
Lions Gate Film
Cast
-
Don McKellar
Patrick Wheeler -
Sandra Oh
Sandra -
Callum Keith Rennie
Craig Zwiller -
Sarah Polley
Jennifer Wheeler -
David Cronenberg
Duncan -
Tracy Wright
Donna -
Geneviève Bujold
Mrs. Carlton -
Roberta Maxwell
Mrs. Wheeler -
Robin Gammell
Mr. Wheeler -
Trent McMullen
Alex -
Karen Glave
Lily -
Charmion King-Pinsent
Grandmother -
Jackie Burroughs
Jogger
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All Critics (58) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (8) | DVD (5)
For all its wry humor, it concludes as a heart-piercing affirmation of life and love in the face of death.
Top CriticMcKellar is a good storyteller, and he demonstrates a clever -- albeit dark -- sense of humor. But much of it goes for naught because of the movie's sterile patina.
Last Night succeeds where so many other films have failed because it concentrates on the element that its predecessors have ignored: the human factor.
Although Last Night eschews sentimentality, the situation is so extreme that there is ultimately no avoiding it. But the intense performances of [Ms Oh and McKellar] ... keep the suds from billowing into more than a few discreet bubbles.
A wry treat.
stunning apocalyptic drama
The humor does not negate the scenario's anguished heart, brought to wrenching life primarily by the extraordinary Oh.
Required viewing for anyone who hasn't yet planned her own last night.
The film has a kind of airless, artificial quality that made it seem much longer than it actually was.
Audience Reviews for Last Night
Super Reviewer
A group of very different individuals with different ideas of how to face the end come together as the world is expected to end in six hours at the turn of the century.
REVIEW
"Last Night" is a fascinating little film by writer/director Don McKellar. Dry-witted illusions and startling visuals open the film. It soon becomes clear that the world and it's inhabitants have only six hours remaining. The film follows how several residents of the Toronto area fill those final hours. It's never clearly stated exactly what has caused the world's condition, nor is that an important part of the story here. The main focus of the film are the characters, such as Patrick Wheeler (played by McKellar) who is a terribly lonely guy who struggles to even see his family for one last time. He wishes to end it all alone, which seems to be how he lived. Then there's his friend Craig, who is using a variety of untried sexual practices as a means to connect with someone. Isolation and loneliness are the central themes to the film. It's a recognizable representation of what the filmmaker feels would be most noticeable trait about people if all of our lives were suddenly stopped. Surprisingly, the film never becomes depressing, even as it touches on so many serious topics, including assisted suicide, but instead becomes an expression of "what if" and therefore is exceptionally thought-provoking. In fact it's a rather uplifting tale.
Super Reviewer
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Foreign Titles
- Last Night (1999) (DE)
- Last Night (1999) (CA)
