LAST NIGHT

"LAST NIGHT"
(1999) (Don McKellar, Sandra Oh) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	Mild	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	Moderate	Minor	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Minor	Mild	Moderate	Heavy

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: A disparate group of people tries to figure out how to spend the last several hours of their lives as the end of all mankind approaches.

PLOT:

It's 6 p.m. somewhere in Toronto on the last day of the world. Although the cause for the end of mankind is never disclosed, everyone seems to know it will occur at midnight, although reactions vary from person to person.

Patrick Wheeler (DON McKELLAR), still melancholy following the death of the woman he loved, reluctantly goes to see his parents (ROBIN GAMMEL & ROBERTA MAXWELL) for "Christmas" dinner although it's not that time of year. While his sister Jennifer (SARAH POLLEY) and her boyfriend Alex (TRENT McMULLEN) plan to spend their last hours partying, Patrick wishes to stay home by himself, much to the dismay of his parents.

Meanwhile, Sandra (SANDRA OH) is trying to get home to her husband so that both can commit suicide before the unknown event claims their lives. The only dilemma is that her car has been disabled and bus drivers are nowhere to be found, thus creating an obstacle for her attempt to get across town.

Craig (CALLUM KEITH RENNIE) has a different plan, however, as he hopes to act out his many varied sexual goals and desires, including sleeping with his former French teacher, Mrs. Carlton (GENEVIEVE BUJOLD), a hooker, a virgin and even his old friend Patrick if he can convince him.

Then there's Duncan (DAVID CRONENBERG), a gas company executive who's methodically calling his customers thanking them for their patronage and providing reassurance that they'll keep providing service as long as they can, all while Donna (TRACY WRIGHT), a thirty-something virgin and his lone remaining employee, faithfully stands by.

As the hours count down toward the end of life at midnight, this disparate group of people tries to cope with their last night and end up interacting in ways they hadn't imagined or planned.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: It's not very likely.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For sexuality, language and brief violence.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: DON McKELLAR plays a man who wishes to be alone at the end of time, but ends up befriending and helping Sandra. He briefly kisses Craig after being propositioned for sex and briefly uses strong profanity.
SANDRA OH plays a woman who wants to get home to her husband so that both can commit suicide. She eventually tries to do the same with Patrick and also briefly uses profanity.
CALLUM KEITH RENNIE plays a man whose goal is to have sex with as many people and in as many places and positions as possible. He also uses strong profanity and drinks and smokes.
SARAH POLLEY plays Patrick's sister who wants to party, while TRENT McMULLEN plays her boyfriend who wants the same thing.
DAVID CRONENBERG plays a gas company executive who phones all of his customers to thank them for their service on the last day of life on Earth.
TRACY WRIGHT plays his assistant, a woman who has a drink every night and turns out to be a virgin who ultimately loses her virginity to Craig.
GENEVIEVE BUJOLD plays Craig's former French teacher who has sex with him.; SANDRA OH plays a woman who wants to get home to her husband so that both can commit suicide. She eventually tries to do the same with Patrick and also briefly uses profanity.
CALLUM KEITH RENNIE plays a man whose goal is to have sex with as many people and in as many places and positions as possible. He also uses strong profanity and drinks and smokes.
SARAH POLLEY plays Patrick's sister who wants to party, while TRENT McMULLEN plays her boyfriend who wants the same thing.
DAVID CRONENBERG plays a gas company executive who phones all of his customers to thank them for their service on the last day of life on Earth.
TRACY WRIGHT plays his assistant, a woman who has a drink every night and turns out to be a virgin who ultimately loses her virginity to Craig.
GENEVIEVE BUJOLD plays Craig's former French teacher who has sex with him.; CALLUM KEITH RENNIE plays a man whose goal is to have sex with as many people and in as many places and positions as possible. He also uses strong profanity and drinks and smokes.
SARAH POLLEY plays Patrick's sister who wants to party, while TRENT McMULLEN plays her boyfriend who wants the same thing.
DAVID CRONENBERG plays a gas company executive who phones all of his customers to thank them for their service on the last day of life on Earth.
TRACY WRIGHT plays his assistant, a woman who has a drink every night and turns out to be a virgin who ultimately loses her virginity to Craig.
GENEVIEVE BUJOLD plays Craig's former French teacher who has sex with him.; SARAH POLLEY plays Patrick's sister who wants to party, while TRENT McMULLEN plays her boyfriend who wants the same thing.
DAVID CRONENBERG plays a gas company executive who phones all of his customers to thank them for their service on the last day of life on Earth.
TRACY WRIGHT plays his assistant, a woman who has a drink every night and turns out to be a virgin who ultimately loses her virginity to Craig.
GENEVIEVE BUJOLD plays Craig's former French teacher who has sex with him.; DAVID CRONENBERG plays a gas company executive who phones all of his customers to thank them for their service on the last day of life on Earth.
TRACY WRIGHT plays his assistant, a woman who has a drink every night and turns out to be a virgin who ultimately loses her virginity to Craig.
GENEVIEVE BUJOLD plays Craig's former French teacher who has sex with him.; TRACY WRIGHT plays his assistant, a woman who has a drink every night and turns out to be a virgin who ultimately loses her virginity to Craig.
GENEVIEVE BUJOLD plays Craig's former French teacher who has sex with him.; GENEVIEVE BUJOLD plays Craig's former French teacher who has sex with him.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

OUR TAKE:: Coming Soon.

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity is extreme due to more than 10 uses of the "f" word, while other profanities and colorful phrases are also used. One of the characters has decided that he must fulfill all of his sexual wishes and goals, and thus we see and hear several sexual encounters (with nudity and movement), a proposed homosexual encounter, and plenty of sexually related talk.

Violence occurs on and off-screen (including some vandalism and a man who's either killed or has committed suicide -- we only see the results). Some of those scenes, as well as the sight of two people preparing to shoot each other in a suicide pact, may be disturbing or suspenseful to some viewers, and that act and others may prove to be enticing to some kids in an imitative fashion.

Beyond that, a moderate amount of drinking is present, along with some cigarette smoking and a few tense family moments. Although most kids probably won't want to see this film, should you still be concerned about its content for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to take a closer look at the more detailed content listings.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Sandra buys one of the last bottles of wine from a store.
Various characters have drinks at Patrick's parents' house and then have wine with dinner.
Craig offers a hooker a drink and she asks for some cognac and then drinks some. Later, Craig drinks some straight from the bottle.
Donna admits to having a drink every work-night at 6 p.m. and, pulling out a bottle from her desk, asks Duncan if he wants one (he declines).
Craig offers to get Mrs. Carlton something to drink but she declines. He then has a drink.
A person who drives by in a convertible is drinking.
Craig and Patrick drink beer.
Various people out on the street drink.
Patrick and Sandra have wine.
One of Patrick's older relatives drinks.

BLOOD/GORE: We see a man lying dead on a floor, his head and the carpet around him being bloody.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Some people attack Sandra's car, eventually rolling it over and breaking some of the windows. Later, others accost her and the car she's driving. Other vandalism occurs and/or is suggested.
Some may see Craig as having both for living out/fulfilling his sexual goals/desires with as many different people as possible as having some of both.
Patrick tries to help Sandra steal a car by breaking into and then trying to hot-wire it.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: A man threatens Duncan with a shotgun and follows him into his house, continuing to threaten to shoot him.
We see Patrick and Sandra sitting across from each other, holding guns to each other's heads, prepared to shoot each other in a suicide pact.
Other scenes listed under "Violence" may also be unsettling or tense to some viewers, as might the overall notion of impending doom.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handguns: Held by Patrick and Sandra to each other's heads as they prepare to commit suicide at midnight.
Shotgun: Aimed by a man at Duncan.
In addition, gunfire is occasionally heard off in the distance but in an unknown context.
A man is seen dead from a gunshot wound, but we never see the actual shooting.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "F*ck off," "For f*ck's sake," "Shut up," "Bastard," "Wuss," "Fag" and "I don't give a damn."
Some people attack Sandra's car, eventually rolling it over and breaking some of the windows. Later, a large group of people tries to topple a bus.
Sandra admits that she and her husband are planning to commit suicide instead of letting the unknown "force" kill them, and later she and Patrick hold guns to each other's heads as they prepare to do just that.
Craig gives Patrick "the finger" as he leaves.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A moderate amount of ominous and somewhat suspenseful music plays during several scenes.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): A song has lyrics talking about "the way you move your sexy body…" while another mentions "making love to your family…"

PROFANITY: At least 12 "f" words (1 used sexually), 2 "s" words, 2 asses, 1 damn and 2 uses of "Oh Christ" and 1 use each of "Oh my God" and "Jesus Christ" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: A hooker comes over to Craig's place to have sex. She then undresses (we see her in her bra and panties) and then removes her bra (we see her bare breasts). They get into bed and she comments "I just want to have an orgasm today" and he replies that he'll do "his best." As she then lies completely nude on his bed (bare breasts again but no direct view of her crotch) he kisses her belly and then gets on top of her. There may be some movement, but the camera pans across and eventually away from their bodies right after he does this.
We hear some sexual sounds between Craig and Mrs. Carlton, but they're interrupted by the doorbell ringing. Craig then gets up to answer it and we see his bare butt (but nothing else).
Craig asks Patrick, "When's the last time you got some (sex)?" and then talks about women wanting to "go out with a bang."
Craig then shows Patrick his room of sexual fantasies where he's written his lists of sexual desires and goals on the walls (we also briefly see some photos of women in their underwear as well as one's bare breast). Anal sex is then mentioned and Craig says, "I've never given it to a woman up the ass before." Sex outdoors is mentioned, as is sex with a virgin and we see that his list is broken down by the types of acts, locations and women. When Patrick asks about bestiality, Craig says that it's not on his list, although a menage a trois is. We also see the words "blow job" and "foursome" written on the wall and Craig then mentions that a "mutual orgasm" is what he wants and "If you got to go, you might as well be coming."
Craig then asks Patrick if he wants to have sex but then adds that it wouldn't necessarily include anal sex. Patrick then replies that he would do it any other time if he had time to prepare and that it's something he thought he should do. He then adds that he doesn't want to risk having "bad sex today" and for that to be the last thing on his mind. The two briefly kiss, however, until Patrick backs away with Craig stating that he'd "mercy f*ck your skinny ass."
Trying to be friendly to Sandra, Patrick states, "It's not like I want to have sex with you."
Donna tells Craig that she's a virgin and moments later we see him on top of her in bed (and see her bare breasts). She then asks him "what's the matter" and he states that he still has ten minutes to perform. Later we see him on top of her under the sheets with movement and related sounds (as well as views of her bare breasts).

SMOKING: Craig smokes a few times while people on the street also smoke.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: Patrick has a few such moments with his parents.
Sandra is distraught that she can't contact her husband.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: The ways in which these characters react to the apparent end of the world.
What may be the cause of the apparent end of the world and why the filmmakers chose not to disclose that information.

VIOLENCE: Some people attack Sandra's car, eventually rolling it over and breaking some of the windows.
Patrick breaks a car window to get inside.
Donna purposefully knocks items off a desk.
A man jumps on the car Sandra's driving and bashes the windshield with a bat. As he prepares to hit it again with a golf club, she backs up, causing him to fall to the hood and then the street. After Sandra gets out, a man accosts her. Alex then runs up and strikes this man in the face with a shovel.
A man threatens Duncan with a shotgun and follows him into his house, continuing to threaten to shoot him.
We see a man lying dead on a floor, his head and the carpet around him bloody (although we don't know if this was a murder or suicide).
We see Patrick and Sandra sitting across from each other, holding guns to each other's heads, prepared to shoot each other in a suicide pact.

Reviewed December 3, 1999 / Posted December 3, 1999

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