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Last Orders (2002)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:24
Fresh:20
Rotten:4
Average Rating:7.4/10
Consensus: With a cast that includes some of the best acting talent in Britain, Last Orders is a rewarding character-driven ensemble piece.
Theatrical Release:Feb 15, 2002 Limited
Box Office: $2,197,234
Synopsis: Fred Schepisi's adaptation of Graham Swift's prize-winning novel is a quietly graceful portrait of four working-class Brits, bound by years of friendship, that unites some of England's finest... Fred Schepisi's adaptation of Graham Swift's prize-winning novel is a quietly graceful portrait of four working-class Brits, bound by years of friendship, that unites some of England's finest actors in a powerful and deeply moving ensemble production. Michael Caine stars as Jack Dodd, the charismatic leader of the group, whose death and last wishes sends his friends on a nostalgic journey from London to Margate to scatter Jack's ashes in the sea. After forty years of warming the seats at their favorite pub, longtime friends and WWII veterans Ray (Bob Hoskins), Lenny (David Hemmings), and Vic (Tom Courtenay) are forced to face the loss of one of their own as they make the "epic" journey accompanied by Jack's flashy, prodigal son Vince (Ray Winstone). Noticeably absent from the group is Jack's long-suffering widow Amy (Helen Mirren), who travels to visit her autistic daughter instead of accompanying her husband's ashes, in a painful journey of her own which sheds light on her complex relationship with Jack. As the four men make their way to Margate, going from pub to pub, they reflect on a lifetime of memories of Jack, which are recreated in a series of multi-layered flashbacks that explore the delicate interweaving of their friendships; full of secrets, resentments, and deeply rooted loyalty. Schepisi masterfully handles the multidimensional plot lines while deftly allowing his talented cast to portray their flawed and profoundly ordinary characters. [More]
Starring: Michael Caine, Tom Courtenay, David Hemmings, Bob Hoskins
Starring: Michael Caine, Tom Courtenay, David Hemmings, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Helen Mirren
Director: Fred Schepisi
Director: Fred Schepisi
Screenwriter: Fred Schepisi
Producer: Nik Powell, Fred Schepisi
Composer: Paul Grabowsky
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
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Reviews for Last Orders
A movie I loved on first sight and, even more important, love in remembrance.
It's a small movie about ordinary blokes, and yet it poses some of the big questions that have vexed philosophers for ages.
The joy of Last Orders is its pub talk, the Cockney joking and provoking style of banter, and the extraordinary group of actors who bring the characters to life.
With a cast of this vintage, it wouldn't matter if they were reading the telephone book to one another, things are always entertaining.
There's a wondrous sense of what all men should leave behind them: friendship, forgiveness and reconciliation.
The lovely and richly textured British film Last Orders is as well-acted as any film you'll ever see.
This is human comedy at its most amusing, interesting and confirming.
If Fred Schepisi's adaptation of Graham Swift's Booker Prize-winning Last Orders can't really do justice to the novel, it does extremely well by its cast, thank you.
An epic with the economy of an epitaph, a flawlessly told tale about a flawed man.
Offers nostalgia laced with lyricism and regret. And it poses a haunting question: When does a memory become part of the past?
Though the book runs only about 300 pages, it is so densely packed ... that even an ambitious adaptation and elaborate production like Mr. Schepisi's seems skimpy and unclear.
There's been no richer cinematic tapestry of humanity so far this year.
A must for fans of British cinema, if only because so many titans of the industry are along for the ride.
An enervated, overly muted drama that should have been a lot livelier, considering the terrific cast.
Because I share history and memories with these actors, it is easy to stand at the bar with their characters as they regard the urn of ashes.
Latest News for Last Orders
June 24, 2005:
Lions Gate Digs Into "The Descent"
Neil Marshall, director of the resoundingly popular cult flick "Dog Soldiers," has struck a deal with Lions Gate to distribute his next movie in North America, says... More...
February 06, 2002:
Schepisi offers a brave and endearing account of four men grieving the loss of their best friend. ![]()
More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 77% 77% | The Hangover |
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 24% 24% | G-Force |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 90% 90% | District 9 |
| 86% 86% | 500 Days of Summer |
| 63% 63% | Extract |
| 06% 06% | All About Steve |
| 78% 78% | It Might Get Loud |
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