Written by Becca Johnson
A truly mixed bag, Last Looks has a whacky plot and a great lead performance that will keep you invested. However, it's formulaic plot and by-the-books characters make it feel like a wasted opportunity.
Last Looks tells the story of Waldo (Charlie Hunnam), an ex-LAPD superstar who left the force and now lives a life of solitude in the woods. When eccentric actor Alistair Pinch's (Mel Gibson) wife is found dead and Pinch himself becomes the prime suspect, Waldo is convinced to come out of retirement and investigate.
Last Looks clearly takes inspiration from the likes of Guy Ritchie in the beloved crime drama genre, and it often pays off. It feels slick and stylish, with a fast-paced run time that gets more wild as it progresses. Hunnam's character Charlie Waldo is sent down a rabbit hole of twists, turns, gangsters and romance, the pace rarely slowing down to take a breather. Whilst this often works in the movies favour, it can often feel oversaturated and busy, full to the brim with too many plot points to follow creating a confusing watch. Due to how eccentric the movie tries to be, the whodunnit mystery gets very lost.
Though Hunnam's performance is fantastic, his unhinged detective character is very stereotypical and not in the least bit fresh, new or exciting. Gibson's Alistair Pinch is a loopy character who is hard to take seriously, but this adds to the movies unexpected charm. Gibson is clearly having a blast in this role and it's fun to see him relish it. All side performances also meet expectations, particularly Rupert Friend (The Death of Stalin) and Dominic Monaghan (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy).
Waldo has two love interests as the movie progresses, though unfortunately lacks chemistry with both of them. Morena Baccarin (Deadpool) plays Waldo's ex-lover who comes back on the scene to convince him to look into the case, and sparks obviously fly again when the pair reunite. Though Baccarin's performance is believable, their chemistry isn't. Furthermore, Waldo dabbles with pre-school teacher Jayne White, played by Lucy Fry (Night Teeth), which seems like a scene only used to spur the plot forward. If both romances were removed entirely, it's hard to see where the movie would've been affected.
Last Looks is a movie that suffers due to attempting too much. The characters are far more interesting than the murder mystery plot, and although the characters keep you engaged, it should have focused more on its storyline. For its eccentricity, performances and charm it's worth watching on a rainy day, but don't expect it's whodunnit aspect to excel or give anything unique.
STAR RATING
