Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

While studying writing in school, no one ever mentioned to me that "suicide note writer" could be a potential money-maker. Maybe that's what makes the concept behind The Last Word pretty interesting.

Evan (Wes Bentley) has chosen such a career path. However, it's not quite as creepy as it sounds. Instead, he helps those pained individuals craft the perfect, poetic suicide note. As part of the process, he then goes to the client's funeral and takes notes on his own work (OK -- that is pretty creepy).

On one occasion, he meets a dearly departed's sister, Charlotte (Winona Ryder), who fancies the brooding recluse, and the two strike up a relationship. While the romance blooms, Evan manages to keep his profession a secret, even through endless calls from his number one client (Ray Romano), a sarcastic on-hold music composer.

Bizarre? You betcha. The film has many elements of a dark comedy, but aside from Romano, it's not all that funny. One area the film falters is by completely ignoring anything and everything about Evan's background, leaving the audience a bit confused about his career and his psyche. Still, if the film went too much beyond its 94-minute runtime, it probably wouldn't work at all. Overall, there's something intriguing about The Last Word. It's sort of edgy and original, and it's also got a great ending.

The Picture

Despite its dark theme, The Last Word has a 2.35:1 transfer, which pops with a nice color palette, featuring a lot of warm tones. Some of the fleshtones appear a bit washed out, although that could be deliberate. Still, the film offers a decent amount of detail and is visually pleasing.

The Sound

This indie release has very little use for surrounds. There are a few sound-filled moments in the film's short span, but do you really need to feel like you are chaperoning Evan and Charlotte's dates? The only scene where the DTS-HD  Master Audio 5.1 track might be noticeable (and interesting) is at the film's very end. That moment truly needs the stereo to put a smile on your face. Otherwise, The Last Word relies mainly on the front speakers, delivering decent dialogue throughout.

The Extras

The actual film is pretty much "the last word" when it comes to this release. The bonus features are the bare minimum, with deleted scenes, a theatrical trailer, and image stills (really?) from the movie. The film is short and sweet; just end the experience there.

Final Thoughts

If you're looking for the traditional romantic comedy, The Last Word will be a major disappointment. It sort of follows the formula. After all, we know boy meets girl. Disasters happen. Heck, there's a goofy friend involved. However, can love truly conquer even the creepiest of professions? While you don't need Blu-ray to appreciate the sentiment, this film is worth a peek to find out.

Where to Buy:

• The Last Word on Blu-ray Disc (Amazon.com)

Product Details

• Actors: Winona Ryder, Wes Bentley, Ray Romano
• Director: Geoffrey Haley
• Audio/Languages: Dolby DTS Master Audio 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (English)
• Subtitles: English SDS, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 1
• Rating: R
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: April 21, 2009
• Run Time: 94 minutes
• List Price: $35.98
• Extras:
• Deleted Scenes
• Production Stills Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer