• Release year: 2023
• Director: Jonathan Salemi.
• Producers: Carl Ciarfalio, Khalilah King, Tracy A. Martin, Aaron David Roberts, and Jonathan Salemi.
• Screenplay by: Jonathan Salemi.
• Cinematographer: Dominic López.
• Music by: Tony Fiala.

Shotgun Commentary: unbearable tension and unexplainable decisions in a drug-dealing-gone-wrong story.

Review

If you like films where there is a mess that only grows larger by the minute, The Last Deal will definitely tickle your fancy. Coming from a person who doesn’t particularly enjoy drug-dealing movies, this stuff will hook you regardless.

This is a survival story in which all the players are introduced early on, giving you time to make up your mind about them and, in some cases, be pleasantly surprised. The fast-pace counteracts the usually monotonous rhythm of this type of stories, giving you enough excitement and agitation to become invested in what you’re watching.

The intrigue is real

Each character has their own plan, and only Vince’s thoughts and actions are known. There is barely any “bad guy POV”. This detail is one of the best decisions possible since it saves up a lot of time and spares the spectators from unnecessary footage about how bad the villain is and what his plans are. All the necessary information is given through the hero’s POV, which is pretty much genius.

The lack of certain information also works in favour of the story itself. Vince is no angel. There is no good guy in the feature, only people playing the cards they have been dealt. Their past or motivations are irrelevant, so very little is shared with the viewers. All the parties are guilty of something, everyone is doing something illegal, so anyone could turn on their people at any given moment. This impending sense of doom is the strongest feature of the film. A feature that couldn’t take place without the work of the cast.

Yes for the male characters

Anthony Molinari (Vince) delivers a solid performance that encourages the audience to sympathise with him and care about his problems. His work saves the moments where the rhythm or development feels a bit off: bringing emotion to moments that are theoretically intense, but not so much in practice; or changing the pace with his actions.

Sala Baker (The Boss) also does a great job at playing the bully. As usual, his menacing demeanour and imposing size work in his favour. He could have benefitted from a little more action in his appearances, but overall his threatening persona is flawless.

As for the rest of the cast, they all do a great job complementing each other and developing the story. Nevertheless, there is a big flaw in character creation. A problem that a lot of male directors and writers of action movies have is the creation of female characters. They are usually meek, dumb, half-naked and of no use at all if you discount sex. Sadly, The Last Deal is no exception.

Hell nah in female portrayal

There are three women with dialogue in the film who appear for more than two minutes on screen. The first one is the girlfriend, Tabitha (Jeffri Lauren), who is depicted as a cheater and a gold digger even though nothing is completely confirmed by the end of the movie, and who is incapable of shooting because she needs saving from a man.

The second one is Clara (Audra Van Hees). Clara is a young, gorgeous girl who tries to get in Vince’s pants the minute they are left alone even though he has nothing to offer, they don’t know each other, and she knows he is in a relationship. Not only that, but her role consists mainly in trying to seduce him by getting naked in front of him, dressing up with a top that leaves every nook and cranny on display, and holding a gun NRA calendar style.

The third and last is the mum, Ruth (April Lang). She is the only non-sexualised woman because, well, this is not that type of movie.

All in all, this is the perfect example of what would go through your mind if someone said “action film about a drug deal gone wrong”. The style is on point, the colour palette of each scene matches its mood as well as the intentions of the characters in it. The performances are above what you’d expect from a movie like this one, and the story is overall interesting and very dynamic. Not a bad time at all if you like some entanglement action.

Advice to take from this movie:

• If your boyfriend is being threatened by a mobster, arm yourself. If it happens in the US, LEARN HOW TO SHOOT.
• If you are being chased by a very horrible mobster who wants to kill you, at least skip town. I don’t know, try not to die?
• If you are in possession of a sh*t ton of illegal weed that is the only way to save your life as you know it, maybe search the truck to make sure you have everything you are paying for AND NOTHING ELSE.

What’s your take? Have you watched The Last Deal? Do you like the thrill of the film? Would you have changed anything? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀

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