The Last Kiss

I am quite surprised that The Last Kiss didn’t do better in the box office. It has a young and attractive cast and the studio market this as a romantic drama. It has a great soundtrack, but it did really bad business. Maybe that’s because The Last Kiss isn’t really a romantic movie, it’s more like St Elmo’s Fire than Love Actually. It has a lot to do with Gen Xers, all of whom are now approaching 30, looks at life a little differently. It’s like mid life crisis, but 10 years earlier.

Movie centers around Michael and his friends. Michael has a good job, and a beautiful newly pregnant girlfriend Jenna. Michael, however is scared that there is no more surprises in his life. His best friend Chris is unhappy with his marriage, but he has a young son, and he doesn’t want to abandon him. Jenna’s parents are facing troubles of their own as well.

The film is based on an Italian film of the same name and written by Paul Haggis, who won an Oscar for Crash. Haggis is a master of juggling different storylines, and he does a good job here weaving between different stories. The performances are strong as well, Zach Braff does a credible job with his potrayal of Michael; Michael is a flaw character, but Braff finds a way to give the character some sympathy. Casey Affleck is very good as Chris, this is probably his best role. Tom Wilkenson and Blythe Danner are always dependable and Jacinda Barrett has a tricky role of Jenna, and she handled it well.

Grade B+