Last Night

“Europe In Manhattan”

Does Massy Tadjedin want to be Woody Allen? Tadjedin’s directorial feature debut “Last Night” is a four-character relationship drama taking place in New York. Three of the characters are from Europe and their accents seem to instantly elevate their IQ’s. It’s certainly refreshing to hear such intellectual conversation from a source other than Allen. Tadjedin has pulled off a near miracle here, losing points only for some ambitious yet pretentious editing that becomes annoying in several scenes.

But a conversational movie requires performances from actors that are so good we find ourselves hanging on their every word. Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington and Eva Mendes are three of those actors turning in top-notch dramatic performances. Each succeed beyond our expectations. Keira Knightly gives a tour-de-force that shows her at her Oscar-calibre best and more than justifies her recent Academy Award nomination for “Pride And Prejudice”.

The story involves a young couple played by Knightley and Worthington. Knightley accuses her man of cheating with one of his co-workers, the beautiful Eva Mendes. After some awkward exchanges, she soon begins to accept his denial. But the next day he is off on an out-of-town business trip with Mendes, when Knightley’s ex-lover arrives in New York from Paris to surprise her.

The story then cuts back and forth between the two couples going about their days and facing loads of temptation and sexual frustration. A question mark hangs over the entire film as to who will and who won’t cheat. Also, is there a line you cross when you cheat, and if so, can that line be moved slightly one way or the other?

Describing this film is complicated, but understanding it is very simple. “Last Night” will be like a mirror for most of us. Some of their conversations will seem uncomfortably familiar. The movie arrives at “the day after” in a way that forces us to talk amongst ourselves to determine the right and wrong of it all.

DVD Double Feature:

Mike Figgis’ 1997 relationship drama “One Night Stand” is another good example of this sort of film. Married Wesley Snipes has an affair with a girl he meets in a bar, played by Nastassja Kinski. Later he discovers that Kinski is the wife of his best friend’s brother. Robert Downey, Jr. co-stars as Snipes’ best friend.