THE LAST WORD – Review

(l-r) Amanda Seyfried stars as Anne Sherman, Shirley MacLaine as Harriet Lauler, and Ann Jewel Lee as Brenda, in THE LAST WORD. Photo by Beth Dubber. Courtesy of Bleeker Street ©

In THE LAST WORD, Shirley MacLaine stars as Harriet Lauler, a successful, wealthy but not beloved retired businesswoman, who decides to write her own obituary prior to her death. To craft the perfect obit, she hires a young writer at the local newspaper, played by Amanda Seyfried, mostly for her skill in making unpleasant people sound admirable.

Shirley MacLaine plays the kind of flinty character she has played so often and so well since TERMS OF ENDEARMENT. The film looks like a showcase for the iconic star and indeed MacLaine is the best thing in this unremarkable if well-meaning film. The film credits open with a montage of photos, apparently from childhood to present of the star, which suggests a bit of the star having a last word.

MacLaine’s Harriet Lauler is a control freak, who bedevils her staff in the home where she lives alone. As a fierce businesswoman who founded her own successful advertising agency, Harriet is used to having things her own way. A hyper-critical perfectionist, she takes over the hedge clipping when the gardener is not trimming them to her satisfaction, the sauce making from the cook, and even takes the scissors away from her hairdresser. Still, despite her lack of people skills and imperious manner, it is clear she is lonely and unhappy.

Not surprisingly, Harriet wants to have the last word about her own life and legacy, which is what prompts her to march into the newspaper editor’s (Tom Everett Scott) office and demand their obit writer, a young writer named Anne, to pen it for her. Harriet has done her research and admires Anne’s ability to create a glowing obit for even unsavory people. Although Anne declines, Harriet won’t take no for an answer, and wears her down.

Harriet has no illusions, or sensitive feelings, about her distasteful reputation. Still, she gives the young writer a list of people to contact who might say something positive, including her ex-husband, but cautions her not to bother reaching out to her estranged daughter Elizabeth (Anne Heche) She is aware she is not well-liked but is a bit surprised Anne can’t find anyone who will say something nice. But nothing stops Harriet, who sets out to create the material for the obit she wants.

That project sets up the rest of the film’s dramedy plot. Director Mark Pellington takes the film pretty much where you expect. There are some funny moments, often spinning off MacLaine’s sharp-tongued performance, and there are some sweet moments too, but the film follows predictable lines. There is a road trip, awkward encounters with old friends and family, and a rebellious act of destruction near the end.

What lifts the film out of its familiar doldrums is MacLaine herself. Her ability to play off the rest of the cast, which is sprinkled with a few familiar faces, is a great asset. There is one nice comic scene between MacLaine and an emergency room doctor, played by Todd Louiso, which both sums up Harriet’s outrageous personality and delivers a nice guffaw. Seyfried does well enough but her scenes are boosted when she shares the screen with MacLaine, who dominates the film.

MacLaine’s character is more obsessive-compulsive and perfectionist than some of the tough gals she has played in recent years. Harriet is so hard-boiled that it takes a while for a nicer side to emerge. Besides MacLaine’s performance, another of the film’s good points is its ’60s classic rock score, with a heavy nod to The Kinks. The women’s empowerment theme also is admirable, although one wishes the plot could have been fresher and more real. MacLaine’s character not only sparks change for Seyfried’s young writer, who is drifting in her career, but mentors a disadvantaged but sassy little African-American girl, played by the lively Ann Jewel Lee.

There are few surprises in THE LAST WORD, and little reason to see it if not for Shirley MacLaine, But it does offer another chance to see the legendary MacLaine as another bold, unstoppable woman. She certainly deserves the last word on her own legacy.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars