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17 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Bonds and Commitment and TemptationJun 06, 2011
By Grady Harp LAST NIGHT is a tightly woven tale that explores the psyches of four people in one fascinating evening. This is the initial directing outing for Iranian-American writer Massy Tadjedin ('The Jacket', 'Leo') who also created the story and the script: the film is so fine that we doubtless will be hearing more about her.
Joanna Reed (Keira Knightley) is a beautiful young writer married to commercial real estate developer Michael Reed (Sam Worthington) in what appears to be a happy marriage despite the struggle between two careers. Michael takes Joanna to a company party and there she observes the soft spoken Michael paying attention to one of his co-workers, the sensuous Laura (Eva Mendes), an act that Joanna feels indicates unfaithfulness or at least suspicious behavior on Michael's part. The seed of doubt is planted, Michael is leaving for a business trip to Philadelphia the next morning with his coworkers Andy (Anson Mount) and Laura, and there is friction between Joanna and Michael that Michael's reassurance cannot overcome. The next day as Joanna sops for coffee she encounters an old flame from her time spent writing in Paris - Alex Mann (Guillaume Canet) - and they agree to meet that evening. Chemistry resurges and that evening as Alex and Joanna dine with Alex's publisher Truman (Griffin Dunne), both are questioned by Truman about their past affair, Joanna admits she is now married, and Alex is in a relationship in Paris. The couple leaves and circumstances lead them to return to Joanna's apartment where they face their feelings. At the same time as this evening is developing Michael and Laura enter a seduction dance: Michael is faithful to Joanna but the emotionally bruised Laura persists in her attempt to pull Michael into her web. The manner in which each of these temptations resolves and the aftermath is the brilliance of Massy's writing and direction: this is a story written very much form a women's vantage and that fact allows each of the characters to become very well defined and credible.
The quartet of actors is well matched: Knightley continues to mature as a fine actress, Sam Worthington breaks out of his stodgy shell to allow us to see a man driven by fidelity and tempted by lust, Eva Mendes takes Laura to a higher dimension of being, and Guillaume Canet is undeniably an Alex who few women could resist: he has true star power. The method of pairing the development of the one night by flashing back and forth between the progress of the two couples in the dance of seduction vs fidelity is extremely successful. This is a thinking person's movie and an introduction of a writer/director who already has shaped the beginnings of a successful career. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, June 11
19 of 23 found the following review helpful:
Romance, temptation test a couple's love - could have been trite but maintains balance and dramaApr 30, 2011
By K. Corn
"reviewer"
Ever run into an old lover and wondered about all the "what ifs"? What if we'd been older (or younger), more mature, wiser or (you fill in the blanks). Let's face it - sometimes that smoldering flame from a past love is ready and waiting for the right moment to be rekindled. But can it? That is the focus of the movie,Last Night, and it remains very watchable without falling into totally smarmy territory. Credit has to go to the entire cast, particularly Keira Knightley, playing a wife who runs into her old lover. If this seems like the same tired plot you've seen in other movies, rest assured that the characters in this one are working with a script that gives them room to add depth to their parts.
As far as sex goes, there are some steamy scenes but nothing as graphic as what I'd anticipated. There is actually more sexual tension because of this. What I found particularly fascinating about this film: the way time, distance, and marriage can add or subtract from the longing for an old love....for better or worse. Take a chance on Last Night and you aren't likely to regret it.
9 of 11 found the following review helpful:
Some how not suprisedApr 26, 2011
By Jasmine You've gotta be kidding me I know, I know happy endings belong to Walt Disney and that's where the magic happens. I found the movie honest and done in a respectable way.(As not a lot of skin but actors really using talent to portray a message.) It's real and somehow deep. You see the struggle of partners but also internal self worth and the value the put into each other. Although I'm sure some will say the message is how far will you go, i think the message is a lot simpler. It's about honesty on all levels and if you can't find it in yourself stop expecting to see it in someone else.
8 of 10 found the following review helpful:
CheatersAug 06, 2011
By Lady Detektive Last Night, a largely forgettable character study, explores a bored, restless, couple's struggle with infidelity and temptation. We aren't given much information about the married couple's relationship: they're successful in typical movie land NYC style - living in one of those starkly modern apartments devoid of any color; she writes; he's a real estate developer. They're friendly and affectionate in a routine way, and deeply disconnected.
They're in the thralls of a seven year itch (4 years of dating, 3 years of marriage) that seems to be largely caused by boredom, and her soon to be revealed longings for a man she briefly dated during a temporary split - a fling she never told her husband about. Keira Knightley is quite good as the wife, but Sam Worthington appears to be phoning in his performance. The film begins with a party leading to an argument over a suspected, and confirmed attraction, yet unconfirmed affair. The following day, he goes on a business trip with the object of his attraction, and she, in the kind of coincidence that only happens in fiction, runs into her ex-lover, who just happens to be in town for one day.
Screenwriter/Director Missy Tajedin doesn't even bother creating tension concerning the lines one must cross to reach infidelity. You can see it all play out from a mile away. Other reviewers have mentioned the ambiguous, "will they get caught/confess?" ending, and I will leave it up to you to decide, but I think the answer is blatantly apparent, and not particularly provoking. The character's are selfish and sadly typical: he seems motivated purely by lust or boredom, and she, in her confessions to her ex, reveals a sad, insecure, woman, who should never have been married in the first place.
The film is categorized as romantic. If this is romance, we're doomed. This is not a movie that will make you want to cozy up to your sweetheart. If there's tension in your relationship, watch this by yourself. I'm glad I caught this for free online. I would have been irritated if I'd wasted a rental on it. The movie is a total snooze fest until the last twenty minutes, when the couple literally and figuratively must wake up and face themselves, although we don't get much by way of self-realization.
Two stars for the first hour and ten minutes; Three stars for the last twenty.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
4-1/2 but so close to 5Aug 28, 2011
By DJ Stevens This is not a movie simple or superficial folks are going to appreciate. It's well-acted, well-directed, well-written and real but not a subject matter everyone is going to be interested in. I found it a very interesting character study and excellently portrayed. It's like a dark meditation.
based on 27 reviews
( 27 customer reviews )
