NY1 Movie Review: "Last Night"
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Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington and Eva Mendes star in a new indie film "Last Night," now playing at the Tribeca Film Festival, that deals with a happily married couple who consider the possibility of infidelity. NY1's Neil Rosen filed the following review. The new movie "Last Night," which is playing at the Tribeca Film Festival, takes a grown-up view of relationships and stars Eva Mendes, Keira Knightley and Sam Worthington.
Joanna and Michael were college sweethearts and have been married for four years. They live in New York and are basically happy. But Joanna is bothered that when she sees Michael flirting with a pretty colleague, named Laura, at a party.
Joanna accuses Michael of cheating on her, but he convinces her that nothing ever happened.
When Michael and Laura go on a business trip to Philadelphia, coincidentally an old flame of Joanna's comes to town. His name is Alex, and the two of them had a brief relationship years ago, when she was unattached and living in France.
Here's the dilemma. Joanna and Michael are away from each other for one night, with prospective partners who tempt them and turn them on. Will one of them stray, will they both, or will they stay loyal? Viewers consider these burning questions during the movie, and to her credit, writer and first-time director Massy Tadjedin keeps things suspenseful throughout.
The dialogue was natural and the on-location shots of New York were not only attractive but also quite familiar.
The entire cast does a good job, but Knightley is the standout here. As Joanna, she gives a credible, emotionally expansive performance.
Sam Worthington as Michael, Eva Mendes as his temptress and French actor Guillaume Canet all play their parts well.
This may be slow-moving for some and the movie has a very "foreign film" feel, but in this age of action-heavy, shoot-'em-up, mindless, plotless movies, it was a pleasure to see an intelligent film made for adults with sophisticated, universal themes.
"Last Night" is playing at the Tribeca Film Festival, is available on Time Warner Cable Movies On Demand and also opens next week in theaters.
Neil Rosen's Big Apple Rating: 3 Apples