Movie Review: Last Night

Michael(Sam Worthington) and Joanna Reed(Keira Knightley) are a married couple living in NY. Michael works for a firm which specializes in real estate development while Joanna is a freelancing writer lazily working on a new novel. When both of them attend an event hosted by Michael’s firm, Joanna notices Laura(Eva Mendes). Joanna comes to know that Laura works closely with Michael. Joanna is upset after noticing Laura’s attraction to Michael. When Michael and Laura return home that night, she is angry at Michael. Later in the night, Michael apologizes as he is traveling the next day with Laura to Philadelphia.

After Michael leaves the next day, Joanna bumps into Alex Mann(Guillaume Canet) her ex-lover. Alex is also an author who is visiting NY now. They plan on a date in the evening. When Alex and Joanna meets, they reminisce the past. Meanwhile in Philadelphia, Laura and Michael unwinds in a bar after a hectic day. The more they get drunk, the more the inhibitions are shed. The next few hours are trying for the married couple now in two different cities undergoing two different yet similar emotions.

Massy Tadjedin directs this drama about a married couple facing temptation. The movie tells the events in their lives in a span of less than 36 hours. But the interesting storyline do not translate to an interesting movie. This is mainly due to the editing. The story develops in two cities and as a result, the story shifts between the cities to show the conflicts undergone by the protagonists. The shift is too abrupt and thereby do not let the viewer fully appreciate the dilemma faced by the protagonists. These abrupt shifts also take the fun out of the great performances.

Stay away. Go for it if you want to really see how a good story can made into a bad movie.

Language: English

Genre: Drama

Rating: *

Tags: Movies,Sam Worthington,Keira Knightley,Eva Mendes,Drama