The Last Word (2017 film)
2017 American film
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Last Word is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Mark Pellington, from a screenplay by Stuart Ross Fink. It stars Amanda Seyfried and Shirley MacLaine.
- Mark Pellington
- Anne Marie MacKay
- Kirk D'Amico
- Aaron Magnani
- Shirley MacLaine
- Amanda Seyfried
- AnnJewel Lee Dixon
- Anne Heche
- Tom Everett Scott
- Thomas Sadoski
- Joel Murray
- Adina Porter
| The Last Word | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Mark Pellington |
| Written by | Stuart Ross Fink |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Eric Koretz |
| Edited by | Julia Wong |
| Music by | Nathan Matthew David |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Bleecker Street |
Release dates |
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Running time | 108 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $2.9 million[1] |
The Last Word premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2017. It was released on March 3, 2017, by Bleecker Street.
Plot
A retired businesswoman wants to control everything around her, knowing that she only has a little time left before an imminent death due to a medical condition. She decides to craft her own obituary, so she hires a young obituary writer to work with her to ensure her life story is told her way. The businesswoman tries to expand the horizons of her life, and adopts a young kid for mentoring and lands herself a job as a disc jockey. She grows close with the young writer and influences her life.
Cast
- Shirley MacLaine as Harriett Lauler
- Amanda Seyfried as Anne Sherman
- AnnJewel Lee Dixon as Brenda
- Anne Heche as Elizabeth
- Tom Everett Scott as Ronald Odom
- Thomas Sadoski as Robin Sands
- Joel Murray as Joe Mueller
- Adina Porter as Bree Wilson
- Philip Baker Hall as Edward
- Sarah Baker as Zoe
- Steven Culp as Sam Serman
- Basil Hoffman as Christopher George
- Todd Louiso as Dr. Morgan
Production
In September 2015, it was announced that Amanda Seyfried and Shirley MacLaine would star in the film, with Mark Pellington directing from a screenplay by Stuart Ross Fink, while Myriad Pictures would handle sales and finance the film.[2] In February 2016, Anne Heche, Philip Baker Hall, and Tom Everett Scott joined the cast of the film.[3] Nathan Matthew David composed the film's score.[4]
Filming
Principal photography began on February 3, 2016[5] and concluded on March 11, 2016.[6]
Release
In November 2015, Bleecker Street acquired U.S distribution rights to the film.[7] The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2017.[8][9] It was released on March 3, 2017.[10] On its first weekend, the film grossed $35,000 from four theaters in New York and Los Angeles.[11]
Critical reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval of 40% based on 92 reviews, with an average rating of 4.9/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "The Last Word proves Shirley MacLaine remains a wonderfully magnetic screen presence -- and deserving of a far better vehicle for her considerable talents."[12] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 40 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[13]