If you’re looking for a good movie to make you feel all the feels this holiday season, look no further than Netflix.
Watch With Us is shining a spotlight on this film from 2017 that broke into the platform’s top 10 most popular movies list recently — The Last Word, starring Amanda Seyfried and the great Shirley MacLaine.
The movie follows a retired businesswoman who has a terminal illness, and thus partners with a writer to craft her life story her way.
We think audiences have it right, and The Last Word is a great film to stream this Christmas.
Keep reading for our full breakdown.
‘The Last Word’ Is Bittersweet But Life-Affirming
The plot of The Last Word follows dying businesswoman Harriett Lauler (MacLaine), who hires writer Anne Sherman (Seyfried) to write her obituary. When Harriett doesn’t like how the first draft turns out, she realizes she needs to reshape her own legacy. Harriett sets out to create exciting life experiences for herself to embellish her story, dragging Anne along with her, and the two women form an unlikely but strong bond.
At its core, The Last Word is a sweet, simple story about living every day to the fullest, because one day you will look back and realize you have no more time to do so. It’s a very sentimental, but when it comes to this time of the year, a treacly story is kinda exactly what you need. Plus, The Last Word does a great job of affirming our mortality as a special gift that should not be taken for granted.
It’s a Wonderful Blend of Funny and Tear-Jerking
Some of the best films are the ones that make you cry just as much as they make you laugh, and The Last Word is a great example. This is in no small part due to MacLaine’s acerbic performance as Harriett, who is never shy about letting swear words fly out of her mouth. Harriett is blunt, caustic, curmudgeonly and yet still lovable, as she both offends and amuses the audience.
Plus, the extreme measures Harriett takes to control the narrative of her life are equally amusing and absurd, such as “shopping” for a child to mentor and becoming a DJ. The juxtaposition of personalities between MacLaine’s abrasive Harriett and Seyfried’s initially timid Anne also makes for a great odd-couple pairing.
‘The Last Word’ Features Great Chemistry Between MacLaine and Seyfried
MacLaine and Seyfried are two actors from very different generations, but together they make movie magic. Seyfried excels in her role as Anne, at first shy and mousy before coming out of her shell as she and Harriett form a stronger and stronger bond. Conversely, MacLaine is perfectly cast as Harriett, whose wit and sharp snark are the perfect fit for an actress whose iconic roles include classic comedies like The Apartment and Postcards from the Edge.
The chemistry between MacLaine and Seyfried is palpable, as their mismatched coupling initially works wonders for comedic tension and hilarious back-and-forths. But just as nicely as they mesh together in conflict, so too do MacLaine and Seyfried fit like a glove as they form a warm and loving friendship.
Stream The Last Word now on Netflix.
