Review: The Last Movie Star (on DVD)

The Last Movie Star 

[DVD Last]

I really didn’t know what to expect with this film. My wife and I didn’t watch it until after Burt Reynolds had passed away, and it was being referred to as “his final film”. Reynolds plays Vic Edwards — basically just a version of himself — a former action/comedy/drama film actor living alone in his twilight years. When he is invited t0 receive a “lifetime achievement” award from a small, unknown film festival, one of his few friends convinces him to accept the invitation. However, when he arrives in Tennessee he discovers that the “film festival” is a rinky-dink amateur affair, and the organizers weren’t really set up to pay tribute to him. He’s being put up in a run-down discount motel, and his driver is the foul-mouth, grunge-dressing sister (Lil) of one of the festival’s hosts, who’s having relationship issues with her emotionally abusive boyfriend.

After making a token appearance at the festival, Vic basically commandeers Lil and her almost-broken-down car to go on a road trip — he actually grew up not far away, and Lil serves as his chauffeur to revisiting the sites of his youth, including a reunion with his wife, whom he abandoned years ago but has never stopped loving. Along the way, Vic and Lil bond. This was sort of an uncomfortable film to begin with, but ultimately turned into a very emotional journey, an exploration about aging, and how anyone who reaches Vic’s age has a lot of living to look back on.

One specific technical note — the filmmakers made creative use of clips of Burt from some of his classic film roles — Deliverance, Smokey and the Bandit and Conan O’Brien’s talk show among them — that give “old Burt” a chance to interact and talk with young versions of himself. This was an incredibly risky experiment, but it pays off tremendously. Burt Reynolds is magnificent in this film, and the rest of the cast shines as well. I’m sorry he’s gone, now, but at least he left us with one final performance.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try any of Burt Reynolds lengthy list of feature films and television appearances.] [ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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