Good movie but grossly overrated

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

'The Last Word'(2008), starring my mate Winnie and one Wes Bentley (of 'American Beauty' fame), I read the description on IMDb.com, it went a little something, actually, exactly like this:"A man (Bentley) who makes his living composing other people's suicide notes enters into a romance with the sister (Ryder) of a recent client." Hmmmm, I thought!I added it to my favourites so that I could go back and watch should the mood take me, anyway it did, I've just watched it, and now I'm writing this.Bentley plays Evan… I must say that this was the first thing i've enjoyed seeing Wes Bentley in since 'American Beauty'. Probably because his character in this movie is pretty much an older Ricky Fitz! Evan is a loner, poetically deep, interesting and intriguing… Had an abusive father… Yadda-yadda-yadda.Evan writes suicide notes (hence the title: 'The Last Word') for clients who've contacted him through his website. One of Evan's current clients is a guy called Abel, played by 'Everyone Love's Raymond's Ray Romano. I've never seen Ray Romano play any other character before and I really enjoyed his performance in this film. Abel's friendship with Evan grows during Evan's developing relationship with Ryder's character Charlotte.I never knew this movie existed before this weekend, and everything in it is subtle and yet achieves maximum impact.'The Last Word' is unpredictable, funny, honest and sad. Well it's not very sad per say, considering it's main theme is death! But for a piece which walks hand in hand with suicide it is actually quite light, yet not at all offensive or disrespectful. It follows Evan's story and it has a happy ending. It's the type of film that I don't plan to watch again, but probably will do, and probably more than once.In my opinion this movie is a wee gem. It's strangely beautiful, a bit like that carrier bag blowing in the wind! I recommend it.I even feel a need to make a shout out to the guy who wrote and directed this movie, his name is Geoffrey Haley. He has two writing credits to his name, one short film and this one being his only feature film. His greatest plethora of work takes place within the camera and electrical department; if you check out his film credentials on IMDb, he has over 80 for camera and electrical, steadicam operations being his apparent forte. You will no doubt recognise a lot of the films Haley has worked on, one of which was 'American Beauty'…Swings and roundabouts folks. Swings and roundabouts.

God was this movie awful.First off, the main character has no personality, isn't that great looking and shows no emotion. Yet Winona Ryder practically stalks him to become his girlfriend. Because we all know that in real life, hot girls love strange, psychotic introverts. For some reason in Indie movies, things like this happen all the time. It is total bullshit, a filmmakers wet dream, because most are like the main character. If I go to a club tonight, sit by myself and act like a creepy sociopath, I will really land the hottest girl in the club.His job is to write poetic suicide notes for people, because that is what you really care about when you have decided to off yourself, that you are viewed as a poetic genius. Of course nothing nasty/vindictive about the people in your life that eventually pushed you to that point, like 99.9% of suicide notes.Really dumb movie, written and directed by people with no basis in reality.

This movie is phenomenal.The script is well written and the characters have portrayed themselves very well. Its about a writer who writes the suicide notes. He never tries to forbid his clients from going ahead with their suicides. That's also strange.Ray's character is great. He does some unusually strange things.Scaring the baby and the concept of venting you anger on inanimate objects were very original and idiosyncratic.You will love this movie if you ever had setbacks in your life. Its a different take on life and the thinking of various people. Things we think of but never verbalize in public.

I love Ray Romano but this movie was way too dark for me and there was too much swearing in it. I'm not usually one for censorship but I find that this movie was odd. I had never heard of Wes Bentley before - even though it says he was in American Beauty - but he isn't an actor I'd search out again. Winona is usually very polished and maybe it was her character. I hadn't seen it advertised anywhere either. Maybe it is an independent film. The music was great. I enjoyed the "music" Abel created in his studio and the compositions were nice - even after I realized what the movie was about. I have seen Gina Hecht in other pieces and she does a nice job. The rest of the family was dysfunctional and maybe that is why I didn't like this movie. Very odd film.I HATED THIS FILM.