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The Last Shot (2004) DVD Review
The Last Shot (2004) DVD Credits:
The Last Shot (2004) Directed by:
Jeff Nathanson
The Last Shot (2004) Written by:
Jeff Nathanson
The Last Shot (2004) Cast:
Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldwin, Calista Flockhart, Toni Collette, Joan Cusack, Tim Blake Nelson, Tony Shalhoub, Ray Liotta
The Last Shot (2004) Released by:
Not available at this time
Region:
1
The Last Shot (2004) DVD Release Date:
1st January 2006
Our Rating: Extras Rating:

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The Last Shot (2004) Synopsis:

Based on the true story of the greatest motion picture never made, "The Last Shot" shows how everybody – even the FBI – can get caught up in the allure, glamour, and glitz of Hollywood. Straight shooter agent Joe Devine (Baldwin) has been assigned to cook up an elaborate scheme to take down infamous mob boss John Gotti. He assumes the role of a Hollywood producer and tells all the right lies to enlist a stooge to help execute his sting. He finds unsuspecting wannabe director Steven Schatz (Broderick), who'd do just about everything to get the chance to direct a "feature." Schatz falls hook, line, and sinker for the pitch, but what Devine doesn't tell Schatz is that the movie will never be made. Everything goes according to plan...until Devine and the suits at the Bureau start enjoying their new lives as "Hollywood players" a bit too much.

The Last Shot (2004) DVD Review:

What a terrible thing to do! Hire a wannabe director to make a movie, get his hopes up, cast the film – and not tell him the whole thing is a ruse to trap a criminal. Terrible, yes. But as depicted in “The Last Shot,” it’s also very funny. Alec Baldwin plays the ambitious FBI agent behind this movie sting, and Matthew Broderick portrays the naïve theater usher fooled by Baldwin’s scheme. Both actors have never been better.

Based on a true story, “The Last Shot” shows how gullible people can be about moviemaking and how seductive the filmmaking process is. Even Baldwin’s character becomes obsessed with his fake movie, offering to produce a series of similar FBI films all around the country. Baldwin obviously has a ball with this role. He projects the surface sincerity we expect from his character and delivers lines with such an amusing attitude of authority. He’s great fun to watch here!

Co-star Broderick excels as a wide-eyed innocent who’s so happy to be directing a movie that he believes everything the “producer” tells him. Broderick’s character has co-written a screenplay titled Arizona, which opens in the desert – but Baldwin insists filming must take place in Providence, Rhode Island. Even though Broderick can’t imagine filming a “desert” in Rhode Island, he agrees. Why Providence? It’s closer to the mobster (Tony Shalhoub, wonderful as always) who’s targeted in this unusual sting. Baldwin’s explanation to Broderick? “Rhode Island is the Arizona of the East.”

In addition to Shalhoub, actors Calista Flockhart, Toni Collette, Ray Liotta and Joan Cusack offer strong support. Flockhart deftly chews the scenery as Broderick’s volatile girlfriend who wants to be in his movie; Collette nails the role of an emotional has-been actress willing to do anything to play the lead; Liotta oozes smugness as Baldwin’s more successful brother; and Cusack, although too briefly on camera, is simply hilarious as an executive brought on to explain all things Hollywood. Too bad Tim Blake Nelson’s performance isn’t up to par, but it’s probably not his fault. Nelson’s role as Broderick’s angry brother seems almost an afterthought.

I enjoyed the enlightening DVD bonus materials for “The Last Shot,” especially “Inspired by Actual Events.” This featurette brings together the real people involved in the movie sting. Agent Garland Schweickhardt and aspiring filmmakers Gary Levy and Dan Lewk share their personal reactions to the FBI’s Operation Dramex, which took place in 1989.

The “Deleted Scenes” item also impressed me. Director Jeff Nathanson’s tongue-in-cheek introduction made me laugh, and I appreciated his reasons for not using these scenes in the movie.

Because I can never get enough of Joan Cusack on camera, I loved the montage of her funny moments from the film, even though it’s much too short.

Narration comments from legendary Hollywood producer Robert Evans and audio commentary with Nathanson and Broderick round out the bonus presentations.

Fans of behind-the-scenes movie comedies should definitely add “The Last Shot” to their must-see lists.

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The Last Shot (2004) DVD review written by: Betty Jo Tucker

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