The Last Shot (2004)

Director:

Jeff Nathanson

Writers (WGA):

Steve Fishman (article)
Jeff Nathanson (written by)

Release Date:

5 November 2004 (Brazil)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The true story of the greatest movie never made.

Plot:

A movie director-screenwriter finds a man to finance his latest project but soon discovers that the producer is actually an undercover FBI agent working on a mob sting operation.

Plot Keywords:

FBI | Undercover | Movie Producer | Sting Operation | FBI Agent

Cast

Matthew Broderick	...	Steven Schats
Alec Baldwin	...	Joe Devine
Toni Collette	...	Emily French
Tony Shalhoub	...	Tommy Sanz
Calista Flockhart	...	Valerie Weston
Tim Blake Nelson	...	Marshal Paris
Buck Henry	...	Lonnie Bosco
Ray Liotta	...	Jack Devine
Ian Gomez	...	Agent Nance
Troy Winbush	...	Agent Ray Dawson
Thomas McCarthy	...	Agent Pike (as Tom McCarthy)
W. Earl Brown	...	Willie Gratzo
Evan Jones	...	Troy Haines
Glenn Morshower	...	Agent McCaffrey
James Rebhorn	...	Abe White
Amy Smallman	...	Heidi Katz
Michael Papajohn	...	Ed Rossi, Jr.
Jon Polito	...	Wally Kamin
Valeria Hernandez	...	Delores
Richard Penn	...	Funeral Director
Stanley Anderson	...	Howard Schatz / Ben Cartwright
Solaria Trent	...	Monica
Bob Colonna	...	Farmer
Abel Soto	...	Valet Parker
Stephanie Venditto	...	Producer
Ross Canter	...	Man With Couch
Blue Deckert	...	Criminal #1
Robert Lee	...	Major Delaney
Kelly McNair	...	Receptionist
Sean Whalen	...	P.A.
Gina Doctor	...	Costume Designer
Chris Kelley	...	FBI Agent
Yorgo Constantine	...	First AD
Alan Selka	...	Butler
Shoshannah Stern	...	Steven's Girlfriend
Sybyl Walker	...	Reporter
John Prosky	...	Hotel Manager
Robert Axelrod	...	Man
Tava Smiley	...	Nicky's Wife / Widow
Michael Glover	...	Steven's Friend
Robyn Rosenkrantz	...	Steven's Friend
Peter Sherayko	...	Show Announcer
Buck Damon	...	Little Joe
Jim Murphy	...	Hoss
James McCombie	...	Hop Sing
Barbara Orson	...	Hysterical Woman
Jamie Freeman	...	Theatre Employee
Dustin Fuller	...	Theatre Employee
Art Olsen	...	Hollywood Boulevard Type
Teddy M. Haggarty	...	Hollywood Boulevard Type
Markus Baldwin	...	Hollywood Boulevard Type
Jesse Burch	...	Hollywood Boulevard Type
Casey McCarthy	...	Hollywood Boulevard Type
Kimberly Demarse	...	Hollywood Boulevard Type (as Kimberly DeMarse)
Scott Chase	...	Hollywood Boulevard Type
Gary Levy	...	Hollywood Boulevard Type
Dan Lewk	...	Hollywood Boulevard Type
Miguel A. Vazquez	...	Mariachi Singer
Dimas Arellano	...	Mariachi Singer
Felipe De La Rosa	...	Mariachi Singer
Theadell Brown	...	Bus Guy
Willam Belli	...	Bus Stop Drag Queen
Sally Insul	...	Lonnie's Wife
Jasmine Arnold	...	13-Year-Old Girl
Adam McCarthy	...	Doorman
Russell Means	...	Himself
Pat Morita	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joan Cusack	...	Fanny Nash (uncredited)
Robert Evans	...	Himself (uncredited)
Judy Greer	...	Girl with Emily French at Movie Premiere (uncredited)
Jim Hazelton	...	Tourist (uncredited)
Mylo Ironbear	...	Indian Chief (uncredited)
Frank Merino	...	Valet Parker #2 (uncredited)
Daniel Morton	...	Nicky's Son (uncredited)
Eric Roberts	...	Eric Roberts (uncredited)
Billy Silvia	...	Driver (uncredited)

Directed by
Jeff Nathanson

Writing credits (WGA)
Steve Fishman		(article "What's Wrong with This Picture?")
Jeff Nathanson		(written by)

Produced by
Larry Brezner	....	producer
Ellen Erwin	....	co-producer
David Hoberman	....	producer
Gary Levy	....	associate producer
Dan Lewk	....	associate producer
Todd Lieberman	....	executive producer
Stan Wlodkowski	....	executive producer
David Permut	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Rolfe Kent

Cinematography by
John Lindley		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Rosenbloom

Casting by
Deborah Aquila
Mary Tricia Wood		(as Tricia Wood)

Production Design by
William Arnold

Art Direction by
Seth Reed

Set Decoration by
Natalie Pope		(as Natali Kendrick Pope)

Costume Design by
Gloria Gresham

Makeup Department
Judith A. Cory	....	department head hair stylist (as Judith Alexander-Cory)
Karyn Huston	....	key hair stylist
Brenda McNally	....	additional hair stylist: Rhode Island
Cheri Minns	....	makeup department head
Matthew W. Mungle	....	special prosthetic makeup
Suzanne Rodier	....	key makeup artist
Marleen Alter	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Elena Arroy	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Carol Collini	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Matthew W. Mungle	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Joe Rossi	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Cristen Carr Strubbe	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rosemary C. Cremona	....	second assistant director (as Rosemary Cremona)
Peter Dress	....	additional second second assistant director (as Pete Dress)
Noga Isackson	....	first assistant director
Wayne Witherspoon	....	second second assistant director (as Wayne B. Witherspoon)

Art Department
John Barbera	....	general labor foreman
Will Blount	....	property master
Monica Castro	....	assistant property master
Lynn Christopher	....	set designer
Doug Cluff	....	charge scenic: Rhode Island
John Coven	....	storyboard artist
Jeremy Derbyshire-Myles	....	art assistant: Rhode Island
Al Dollar	....	construction estimator
Al Dollar	....	set decoration estimator
William Eliscu	....	graphic designer
Jennifer Engel	....	leadperson: Rhode Island
A.R. Flores	....	stand-by painter
Gerald Gates Jr.	....	paint foreman (as Gerald Gates)
Reginald Hendrix	....	storyboard artist
James F. Henry	....	propmaker
Sasha Madzar	....	propmaker
Jonas C. Matz	....	construction medic (as Jonas Matz)
Sebastian Milito	....	construction coordinator
Scott Mizgaites	....	propmaker gang boss
Michael A. Quero	....	propmaker
David Rotondo	....	construction coordinator: Rhode Island
Aimee Rousey	....	art department administrator
Theodore Sharps	....	set designer
Dixwell Stillman	....	propmaker foreman
Haven Storey	....	scenic painter: Rhode Island (as John Haven Storey)
Bobby L. Vaughn	....	propmaker
Cale Wilbanks	....	art department assistant
Garson Yu	....	creative designer: main title sequence
Paul Zelenka	....	labor gang boss (as Paul Zelanka)
Jory Alvarado	....	drapery foreman (uncredited)
Danica Chipman	....	set dresser: Rhode Island (uncredited)
Kevin E. Vermeersch	....	assistant property master: Rhode Island (uncredited)
Tony Wright	....	construction buyer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Tom Bellfort	....	supervising sound editor
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist (as Michael Broomberg)
David E. Fluhr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hector C. Gika	....	sound effects editor (as Hector Gika)
Dan Hegeman	....	sound effects editor
Chris Hogan	....	dialogue editor (as Christopher Hogan)
Craig S. Jaeger	....	foley editor (as Craig Jaeger)
Chris Jargo	....	adr editor
Randall L. Johnson	....	boom operator (as Randy Johnson)
Diane Marshall	....	foley artist
Christian P. Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Christian Minkler)
Rocky Quiroz	....	utility sound (as Raquel Quiroz)
Branden Spencer	....	first assistant sound editor
Lucy Sustar	....	foley mixer
Richard Van Dyke	....	production sound mixer
John Bires	....	sound engineer (uncredited)
Kelly Doran	....	utility sound: Rhode Island (uncredited)
Gabriel Guy	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Tami Treadwell	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Michael E. Allegretto	....	special effects assistant (as Michael Allegrett)
Russell Cioe	....	special effects assistant: Rhode Island
Roger Danchik	....	special effects assistant: Rhode Island
John Harajovic	....	special effects assistant: Rhode Island
William 'Billy Jack' Jakielaszek	....	special effects assistant: Rhode Island (as William Jakielaszek)
Ron Matthews	....	special effects foreman
Danny Owen	....	special effects coordinator
Brian Ricci	....	special effects coordinator: Rhode Island
Craig T. Currie	....	art director/special effects designer: title sequence (uncredited)
G. Peter King	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Bill Kent	....	visual effects supervisor
Mark Freund	....	visual effects supervisor: Pacific Title (uncredited)
Bob Wiatr	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title (uncredited)

Stunts
Bobby Aldridge	....	stunts (as Bob Aldridge)
Tony Lee Boggs	....	stunts (as Tony Boggs)
Brad Bovee	....	stunts
Mark Brooks	....	stunts
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
Paul Bucossi	....	stunts
Brian Burrows	....	stunts
Michael Cassidy	....	stunts (as Mike Cassidy)
John Cenatiempo	....	stunts (as Johnny Cenatiempo)
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts (as Steve Davison)
Mark De Alessandro	....	stunts (as Mark DeAlessandro)
Casey Easlick	....	stunts
Corey Michael Eubanks	....	stunts (as Corey Eubanks)
Tim Gallin	....	stunts
Mickey Giacomazzi	....	stunts (as Micky Giacomazzi)
Marguerite Happy	....	stunts
John Jones	....	stunts (as John W. Jones)
Josh Kemble	....	stunts
Barbara Anne Klein	....	stunts (as Barbara Klein)
Terry Leonard	....	stunts
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Gary Littlejohn	....	stunts
Tom Morga	....	stunts
Hugh Aodh O'Brien	....	stunts
Carl Paoli	....	stunts
Monte Rex Perlin	....	stunts (as Monte Perlin)
Mark Riccardi	....	stunts
John Robotham	....	stunts
David Rowden	....	stunts
Ben Scott	....	stunt coordinator
John-Clay Scott	....	stunts
Wesley Scott	....	stunts
Patrick J. Statham	....	stunts (as Pat Statham)
R.L. Tolbert	....	stunts
Art Watson	....	stunts
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunts (as Gary Wayton)
Harry Wowchuk	....	stunts
Mark Brooks	....	stunt double: Tim Blake Nelson (uncredited)
Casey Easlick	....	stunt double: Toni Collette (uncredited)
Carl Paoli	....	stunt double: Matthew Broderick (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Stuart Allen	....	technocrane technician: Rhode Island
Woody Bell	....	best boy grip: Rhode Island (as Woody L. Bell)
Carlos Bermudez	....	best boy electric: Rhode Island
Mike Buck	....	technocrane operator: Rhode Island
Henry Cline	....	camera operator
Brett Cody	....	24 frame video supervisor
Erica Colegrove	....	first assistant aerial camera: Rhode Island (as Erica Colgrove)
Fred Cooper	....	dolly grip
Michael Herron	....	video assist operator
Toulouse Holliday	....	best boy grip
Gregory Irwin	....	first assistant camera
Milan Janicin	....	camera production assistant
Ralph Merzbach	....	24 frame video operator
Tim Metivier	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, Rhode Island (as Tim Mitivier)
James R. Mitchell	....	generator operator: base camp, Rhode Island (as Jim Mitchell)
Craig Molsberry	....	best boy electric
Robert W. Morgenroth	....	24 frame video playback coordinator (as Bob Morgenroth)
Jerry Patton	....	second assistant camera
Philip A. Reilly	....	generator operator: Rhode Island (as Phil Reilley)
Brian H. Reynolds	....	key grip
Bill Richards	....	camera ship: Rhode Island
Billy Richards	....	pilot-on-camera
Emma Rotundi	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, Rhode Island second unit
Todd Schlopy	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as R. Todd Schlopy)
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
Tim Sweeney	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, Rhode Island
John Vecchio	....	gaffer
Rick Cardillo	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
John Carney	....	rigging chief lighting technician (uncredited)
Andrew Degnan	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Shawn Ensign	....	company grip (uncredited)
Jennifer Evans	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Don Hayashi	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Christian J. Hollyer	....	camera loader: Rhode Island (uncredited)
Jessica Jennings	....	electrician (uncredited)
Lawrence Karman	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Lawrence Karman	....	camera operator: "b" camera (uncredited)
Eric Komar	....	dolly grip: Rhode Island (uncredited)
Tim Metivier	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Jason Newton	....	company grip (uncredited)
Joe-Joe Presson	....	company grip (uncredited)
Peter Burgess Smith	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Robert Stillman	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Andrew Towne	....	rigging electric best boy (uncredited)
Niel Williams	....	company grip (uncredited)
Greg Wimer	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jennifer Bender	....	extras casting: Central Casting (as Jen Bender)
Mariann H.W. Lee	....	extras casting
Chrysanthy Lyras	....	casting assistant
Anne Mulhall	....	casting: LDI Casting, Rhode Island
Jennifer L. Smith	....	casting associate (as Jennifer Smith)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jodi Baldwin	....	costume assistant: Rhode Island
Amanda Chamberlin	....	on-set costumer
Laura N. Flores	....	costume production assistant (as Laura Flores)
Jeannie Flynn	....	key costumer (as Jeannie I. Flynn)
Parrish Kennington	....	costumer: Rhode Island (as Parish Kennington)
Susan Lichtman	....	on-set costumer
Deborah Newhall	....	costume supervisor: Rhode Island (as Deb Newhall)
Kelly Porter	....	costumer
Jean Rosone	....	costume supervisor
Carolyn Schnitzer	....	costumer: Rhode Island
Devon Renee Spencer	....	assistant costume designer (as Devon Anderson)

Editorial Department
Kevin Lefler	....	editorial production assistant
Kenny Marsten	....	apprentice editor
Gregory Plotkin	....	first assistant editor: avid
Richmond Riedel	....	first assistant film editor
Jeff Smithwick	....	color timer
Jim Flynn	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Tony Blondal	....	orchestrator (as Tony Blondale)
Stephen Coleman	....	music programmer
Buck Damon	....	music consultant
Nora Felder	....	production music supervisor
Robert Fernandez	....	score recordist
Rolfe Kent	....	conductor: orchestra
Tom Kramer	....	music editor: temp
Dan Savant	....	orchestra contractor
Amanda Scheer-Demme	....	music consultant (as Amanda Scheer Demme)
Nick South	....	music editor
Booker White	....	music preparation: Walt Disney Music Library
Bryan Clements	....	scoring crew (uncredited)
Mark Eshelman	....	scoring crew (uncredited)
Stephanie Lowry	....	music editor (uncredited)
Adam Michalak	....	score recordist (uncredited)
Pat Weber	....	scoring technician (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Ken Farnell	....	transportation co-captain (as Kenny Farnell)
Christopher Ferrence	....	transportation office coordinator
Keith D. Fisher	....	transportation co-captain (as Keith Fisher)
Aaron Skalka	....	transportation coordinator
Peter Tavis	....	transportation coordinator: Rhode Island (as Pete Tavis)
Timothy J. Wood	....	transportation co-captain: Rhode Island
Bill Lopez-Arjona	....	transportation (uncredited)
Stephen Silva	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Jeremy Alter	....	location manager
Bobby Blyle	....	production assistant (as Bobbie Blyle)
Michael Boyle	....	horse trainer
Shelley S. Boyle	....	horse trainer (as Shelley Boyle)
Evelyn Carrigan	....	production assistant: Rhode Island
Kerry Carter	....	production assistant: Rhode Island
Sue Christie	....	craft service: Rhode Island
Jason Cox	....	production assistant
Jenny DeArmitt	....	production secretary (as Jenny Dearmitt)
Steve Demko	....	production assistant
Dominique Derrenger	....	additional second assistant accountant
Cliff Fleming	....	pilot
Mark Forbes	....	animal coordinator
Michael Fossat	....	stand-in: Mr. Broderick
Jane Goldsmith	....	script supervisor
Stacy Gunderson	....	dog trainer (as Stacy M. Gunderson)
Thomas L. Gunderson	....	dog trainer
Teddy M. Haggarty	....	stand-in: Mr. Baldwin (as Teddy Haggarty)
Bill Hansard	....	on-camera projectionist
Bill Hansard	....	rear screen projection
Melanie Hansen	....	assistant: Mr. Broderick
Marie Healy	....	assistant location manager
Craig Hosking	....	aerial coordinator
Steve Indelicato	....	production assistant: Rhode Island
William Jorgenson	....	assistant location manager
Todd Kawecki	....	production assistant: Rhode Island
Jamie Kehoe	....	craft service (as James Kehoe)
Brian Ketcham	....	production assistant: Rhode Island (as Kevin Ketcham)
Nancy Jane King	....	production supervisor: Rhode Island
Timber Kislan	....	payroll accountant (as Timberlee Kislan)
Micki Krimmel	....	production assistant: Rhode Island
Thomas Krueger	....	set medic
John C. Kruize	....	production accountant
Kenneth LaFayette	....	first assistant accountant (as Kenneth Lafayette)
Jason Liman	....	production assistant: Rhode Island
Jun C. Lin	....	assistant location manager
Jenny Marchick	....	assistant: Todd Lieberman
Daniel Marcus	....	assistant: Jeff Nathanson
Adam McCarthy	....	location scout: Rhode Island
Kim Meade	....	assistant: David Hoberman
Timothy Miner	....	production assistant: Rhode Island
Joe Morganella	....	set assistant: David Hoberman (as Joseph P. Morganella III)
Beth Unger Morrison	....	legal script clearances
David Mouton	....	office production assistant
Jeremy Mullen	....	production assistant
Sean Nightengale	....	production assistant: Rhode Island
Louis Offer	....	projectionist
Anton Pardoe	....	assistant location manager
Michael Peavey	....	picture ship: Rhode Island (as Mike Peavy)
Scooter Perrotta	....	production assistant: Rhode Island
Tara Power	....	assistant production coordinator: Rhode Island
Stanley W. Pratt	....	chef: Hat Trick Catering (as Stan Pratt)
Lorraine Putnam	....	animal handler: Birds and Animals
Kim Quam	....	set medic: Rhode Island
Nadia Randazzo Bombino	....	second assistant accountant (as Nadia Randazzo)
Robin Reitman	....	assistant accountant: Rhode Island
Janet Roston	....	choreographer
Gina Rotondo	....	production coordinator: Rhode Island
Erin Sahlstrom	....	assistant production coordinator (as Erin Lee Sahlstrom)
Albert Salsich	....	assistant location manager
Gretchen Schlottman	....	assistant craft service: Rhode Island
Garland Schweickardt	....	consultant
Jim Smith	....	craft service
Cami Stratton	....	production assistant: Rhode Island
Steve Suh	....	office production assistant
Jodi Tripi	....	clip researcher
Michael Umble	....	unit publicist
Christa Vausbinder	....	production coordinator
Cody Williams	....	production assistant
Marvin Williams	....	key production assistant
Chris Winn	....	craft service
Michael Wittenberg	....	office production assistant
Scott Brown	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jason Case	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Vincent Cirilli	....	technician: pro tools (uncredited)
Frank D'Agostino	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Alan Francis	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Michael Heithaus	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Misty D. Lahti	....	additional set production assistant (uncredited)
Dawn Morrissey	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Luke Poling	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Kim Thio	....	set medic (uncredited)
Jesse Wagler	....	production assistant: yU+Co. (uncredited)
Connie Wang	....	script clearance administrator (uncredited)
Lynnanne Zager	....	adr voice (uncredited)

Thanks
David Dortort	....	special thanks: "Bonanza" creator
Jack Dykinga	....	acknowledgment: photographs of Arizona, © 2003
Paul Goresh	....	special thanks
Nancy Greene	....	special thanks
Andrew J. Klyde	....	special thanks
Cindy Landon	....	special thanks
Pernell Roberts	....	special thanks
Rick Smith	....	special thanks: The Rhode Island film office

Production Companies

• Morra, Brezner, Steinberg and Tenenbaum Entertainment (MBST)
• Mandeville Films (in association with)
• Burro Productions
• High Arc Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (as Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1994) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (2004) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2005) (Brazil) (DVD) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Buena Vista International Italia (2004) (Italy) (all media)
• Buena Vista International (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Veronica (2008) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)

Special Effects

• E=mc² (uncredited)
• Full Scale Effects (special effects shop)
• Pacific Title and Art Studio (visual effects)

Other Companies

• BBC Worldwide  footage: "CBS Evening News/John Gotti" courtesy of
• Bendetti Mobile  projection
• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animal handlers
• Bonanza Ventures  portraits: "Bonanza cast copyrighted 1959, 1989 by and used by permission of
• Bonanza Ventures  trademarks: "Bonanza", The Ponderoza" and all related indicia copyrighted 2003 by
• Buena Vista Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• ESPN Enterprises  footage: "Bowling" and "Rugby" courtesy of
• Elizabeth Bardsley & Associates  research [DVD bonus material]
• Hat Trick Catering  catering
• Image Bank Films by Getty Images  footage: "Los Angeles/Hollywood/Figure Skating" courtesy of
• Kodak  motion picture film
• LDI Casting  casting: Rhode Island
• Musco Light Inc.  lighting truck (as Musco)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)  trademarks: "Bonanza", The Ponderoza" and all related indicia copyrighted 2003 by
• Otto Nemenz International  Panaflex 535 camera provided by (as Otto Nemenz)
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Paskal Lighting  grip and electric equipment
• Ponderosa Ranch, Lake Tahoe, Nevada  special thanks
• Rhode Island Film Office  special thanks
• Runway  post-production
• Signet Sound Studio  score mixed at (as Signet Sound Studios)
• Sony Scoring Stage  score recorded at
• StudioCanal Image  posters: "Zapped" and "Escape from New York" used by permission of
• Todd-AO Studios  re-recorded at (as Todd-AO Studios Hollywood)
• Transportation Resources  transportation equipment
• Turner Entertainment  footage: "Casablanca" courtesy of
• Turner Entertainment  poster: "2001: A Space Odyssey" courtesy of
• Universal Studios Licensing  photo courtesy of: "Jaws"
• Walt Disney Music Library, The  music preparation
• Warner Bros. Entertainment  footage: "Casablanca" courtesy of (as Warner Bros.)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment  poster: "Gremlins" courtesy of
• yU+Co.  main title sequences designed and produced by (as yU+co.)

Also Known As:

Providence (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Australia:M (DVD rating) | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 | USA:R (certificate #40240) | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Grauman's Chinese Theater - 6925 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Morra, Brezner, Steinberg and Tenenbaum Entertainment (MBST)

Trivia:

When Alec Baldwin's character tells 'Tony Shaloub''s character that they are considering replacing the burro with a Bald Eagle he exclaims "What is this, a Disney Picture?!?" The movie was produced by Touchstone Pictures and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures, both of which are part of the Disney Corporation.

Goofs:

Continuity: While Emily French is in the restaurant she is smoking a cigarette. She puts it out to pee in a cup. After she finishes, her cigarette is back intact and she takes a drag of it.

Quotes:

Joe Devine: Hello, Steven. My wife didn't drown in a Jacuzzi. Sasha was my dog's name, and she killed herself because I was never home. My real name is Joe Devine.
Steven Schats: Yeah, I know who you are. I saw the movie. And, by the way, I thought Tom Berenger captured you beautifully.

Movie Connections:

References Gremlins (1984)

Soundtrack:

I Can See Clearly Now

Someone point the radar back at this film

The Last Shot is a quirky, enjoyable art-house comedy based on the true story of an FBI agent, Garland Schweickhardt, who was in charge of an elaborate operation named "Dramex" to nab mob influences in the film business.

The Schweickhardt character in the film is named Joe Devine (Alec Baldwin). After a brief character establishing scene and an amazing title/opening credits sequence (featuring movie theater objects) that's one of the most creative and cute ones I've seen yet, Devine is transferred to the Providence, Rhode Island FBI office and learns of Tommy Sanz' (Tony Shalhoub) illegal mob dealings with the local teamsters. He figures that the best way to bust Sanz is to set up a fake film shoot and try to get him to make a deal to avoid having to use (and more importantly pay for) union truckers. So Devine, who knows next to nothing about the film business, poses as a producer and heads to Hollywood.

He gets a crash course in the industry from insider Fanny Nash (Joan Cusack in a hilarious extended cameo), and he begins his search for a script and director. Enter struggling screenwriter Steven Schats (Matthew Broderick), who has a day job as a ticket taker at Mann's Chinese Theater and who lives next to a noisy (of course) dog kennel, a fact that profoundly annoys his struggling actress girlfriend, Valerie Weston (Calista Flockhart). Schats has been shopping his script, "Arizona", for a number of years to no avail. Devine sets up a meeting with him and immediately offers him a deal, including casting power, final cut and points. Of course Schats jumps on the deal.

There's only one problem. The script calls primarily for location shots in the desert, including Hopi Indian cave scenes. It's integral to the story. But Devine insists that they shoot in Rhode Island. The bulk of The Last Shot hinges on a few different conflicts, including the FBI's reservations about Devine's plan, which keeps snowballing and turning into a more far reaching lie.

Although it's not every day that the FBI sets up a bogus film production, director and writer Jeff Nathanson uses his debut film as a helmer to comment on various levels of the typical craziness of the movie business. Devine's FBI superiors function as executive producers who are regularly perplexed about where their money is going, but who are easily enough talked into furthering their support as Devine pitches additional time and resources they need to acquire. On a more literal level, Nathanson is also able to spoof agents, directors, actors, and many processes, such as location scouting and casting. Much of this material is hilarious, and viewers do not need to have any intimacy with the film industry to "get it", or to get that there is probably a lot more truth to these scenes than is usually admitted.

The cast is excellent, including Baldwin and Broderick. They may not be the first two names many cineastes would think of when they imagine an art-house film propelled by humorous but poignant performances, but The Last Shot just shows why such conventional wisdom views are off the track. A lot of sizable stars take roles with far less screen time than normal--including Shalhoub, Flockhart and Ray Liotta, but this is a well-written script that turned out to be well directed, so it was a good move for them.

At the same time that Nathanson enables a somewhat sarcastic, cynical view of the film-making process, there is a parallel plot featuring Devine that emphasizes a much more romantic view of the lure of the business. It becomes increasingly clear as The Last Shot unfolds that Devine is no longer concerned with just or even primarily nabbing mobsters. He's trying to plunge deeper into making his "fake" feature because he's falling in love with the idea of film-making. There's a particular line of dialogue delivered by one of Devine's superiors in the FBI, having to do with continuing Devine's project, that is not only a hilarious line in context, it's virtually the climax of the film. Devine has triumphed. The sham has become not what he tells Schats, but what he tells his supervisors. The subsequent conclusion of the film is thus heartwarming and a bit melancholy/tragic at the same time. It's a nice change of pace from more stereotypically "Hollywood" endings.

This is a very good, near-excellent film that has not received the attention it deserves. Although there is an art-house atmosphere to it, it's really more of a mainstream film that should have opened wide in multiplexes with a big publicity campaign. I never even noticed the film on its theatrical release, and I live in New York City and usually pay attention to what's playing the art-house theaters. I only noticed the DVD through my weekly scouring of release schedules to make sure I don't miss anything. Give it a chance and make sure you tell a friend or two about it.