One Last Thing

“…building a nascent father-daughter relationship. Much of this bonding is done via letters…”

On the surface, One Last Thing is well shot, with excellent art direction and competent editing. Furthermore, both the Jurnee Smollett-Bell (probably best known for her early role in Eve’s Bayou) are well cast by The Wire’s Alexa L. Fogel. Thus, it was incredibly frustrating to see these two talented actors wrestle with a script where the resolution to every conflict — regardless of how high the stakes — was never in the slightest doubt. This is particularly the case for Pierce, whose ability to balance moral ambiguity in The Wire was phenomenal to watch over five taut seasons. One Last Thing feels like a series of missed opportunities. Had writer/director Rouhana crafted a storyline that was more messy with the peaks and valleys of real life, it would have more for a better that was far more interesting and engaging. Instead, he goes for the easy bank shot, tying everything up in a nice neat bow. Thank the heavens that all five seasons of The Wire are now available on Amazon Prime, just what the witch doctor ordered to cleanse one’s cinematic palette.

One Last Thing (2017) Written and Directed by Tim Rouhana. Starring Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Wendell Pierce, and Joanne Froggatt.

6 out of 10 stars