The Last Supper (1995)

Director:

Stacy Title

Writer:

Dan Rosen (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 April 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

Eat... drink... and be buried...

Plot:

A group of idealistic, but frustrated, liberals succumb to the temptation of murdering rightwing pundits for their political beliefs.

Plot Keywords:

Catcher In The Rye | War Veteran | Bigotry | Iowa | Liberal

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Cameron Diaz	...	Jude
Ron Eldard	...	Pete
Annabeth Gish	...	Paulie
Jonathan Penner	...	Marc
Courtney B. Vance	...	Luke
Bill Paxton	...	Zachary Cody
Nora Dunn	...	Sheriff Alice Stanley
Ron Perlman	...	Norman Arbuthnot
Dan Rosen	...	Deputy Hartford
Amber Taylor	...	Girl in Coffee Shop
Matt Cooper	...	Jerk in Coffee Shop
Charles Durning	...	Reverend Gerald Hutchens
Mark Harmon	...	Dominant Male
Gil Segel	...	Iowa Resident at Door
Rachel Chagall	...	Abortion Activist

MPAA:

Rated R for language, and for some sexuality and violence.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Singapore:M18 | Finland:K-16 | Portugal:M/16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Germany:16 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

'Beau Bridges' was originally asked to play Norman Arbuthnot, but he turned the role down.

Goofs:

Continuity: During dinner with the reverend, dishes move around the table between shots.

Quotes:

Luke: It's 1909 and you're alone with a young artist named Adolph. Do you kill him?

Movie Connections:

References Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Soundtrack:

Victim

Jaded, occasionally funny, but dead-on

This movie is not really a comedy, dark, light or any other kind. The movie is very jaded and cynical in its presentation. The plot goes that the group of five kill off dinner guests weekly. With lots of colorful symbolism, a slew of cameos, and strong performances by 3 out of the 5 group members, this movie grew on me after viewing it and thinking back on what I witnessed. I'm not going to give away anything but the last 20 minutes of this movie more than make up for the flaws, which there still are a quite a few. The first knock I have on this movie is that Cameron Diaz's and Annebeth Gish's performances are not really that great. Diaz is cast as one of the most important characters, but her acting ability is tested greatly as she has to deliver most of her lines behind a table, without her best attribute (her body) showing. Her weak ability to speak her lines becomes obvious with the excellent performances of the rest of the cast. Gish's problem is the weakness of the character, because she plays the one of the five that could have easily been written out.

Other problems in this movie are not as important. One is that half way through the movie becomes repetitive. The director shoots this part quickly, and with a tongue in cheek style, but it still comes across dull. The policewoman character is added to the story and is pointless and just used as a character builder and attitude change for one of the five.

All criticism aside, watch this movie. If it gets to the middle and you aren't sure you want to finish it, FAST FORWARD and watch the end. The speech given is perhaps one of the best political speeches I have heard in a film. The final 20 minutes is the 1 inch layer of icing on a partly damaged cake.