No Happy Endings in The Last Kiss
A Real Drama starring Zack Braff and Rachel Bilson
Going against the typical happy ending format, The Last Kiss digs around in the dirt of some really bad relationships. It may be this realistic aspect that makes the movie so intriguing. The Last Kiss follows around a group of close friends. These characters, whether making good or bad decisions, are very captivating.
The Last Kiss: Relationship #1
The main story of Michael (Zack Braff of Scrubs) and Jenna (Jacinda Barrett) is the focus of the movie. Jenna finds out that she’s pregnant and she and Michael begin deciding on marriage and buying a house. The thought of permanence and the fact that Michael has his whole life planned out scares him to death. Because of this, he starts seeing a young co-ed named Kim (Rachel Bilson, Jumper) in an effort to stay young and avoid responsibility. His endeavors are quickly foiled when Jenna finds out he’s been going behind her back with someone else. She kicks him out of the house, and lets him no further than the front porch.
The Last Kiss: Relationship #2
Jenna’s parents are also experiencing turbulence when Anna (Blythe Danner, Meet the Parents) feels unappreciated by her long-time husband Stephen (Tom Wilkinson). She eventually leaves him and attempts to find a place on her own. She revisits an old flame (Harold Ramis), but returns to her husband when Jenna’s relationship shatters.
The Last Kiss: Relationship #3
Izzy (Michael Weston) is having a hard time getting over his childhood sweetheart, Arianna, and at the same time, his father’s health is deteriorating. These two issues in his life drive him to do outrageous things like bursting into Arianna’s house, assaulting her new boyfriend, and planning a trip to South America.
The Last Kiss: Relationship #4
Kenny, played by Eric Christian Olsen, thinks he has found the perfect woman in Danielle. Her promiscuousness allows for a no-strings-attached approach, which is exactly what he was looking for. But after she decides to introduce him to her parents, Kenny leaves.
The Last Kiss: Relationship #5
Lastly there’s Chris, played by Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone). His relationship is in shambles when he finds it impossible to care for his infant son alongside his overbearing wife Lisa (Lauren Lee Smith). He attempts to break it off in order to keep their son from growing up hating them for fighting all the time, but makes things even messier. Lisa blames Chris for his lack of assistance in raising their son and tells him he’ll never see him again.
Tony Goldwyn’s dramatic characters
Even throughout the destruction of these relationships, Michael, Kenny, Chris, and Izzy’s friendship remains solid. Kenny and Izzy decide to go to South America together, Chris passes up on this opportunity to attempt to patch things up with Lisa, and finally there’s Michael. He screwed up big time and desperately seeks forgiveness from Jenna. In a sense, his mistakes make Anna and Stephen stronger, but his actions are irreversible.
The Reality of The Last Kiss
The fact that this movie follows multiple scenarios of negativity, leaving very little room for a happy ending, may very well be what makes it so good. The pain these characters go through is so devastatingly real, it’s hard not to feel any sort of remorse for any one of them. Without the glamour Hollywood tends to sprinkle on movies, The Last Kiss stands apart from the rest and is a must see.
Kim (Rachel Bilson) and Michael (Zack Braff)
|
The Last Kiss
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Film & TV
Latest Articles