#MovieReview: Last Looks – The newest take on modern film noir

Last Looks takes another swing at modern Los Angeles noir, but ends up being less than the sum of its often interesting parts.

The film, directed by Tim Kirkby, tries to emulate Shane Black’s work while paying homage to the Big Sleep, but only succeeds in being equally as confusing.

Last Looks is enjoyable in scenes where it keeps up with its own frenetic pace, but becomes somewhat boring in quieter sequences.

This aside from its occasionally uncomfortable views on race.

Charming Charlie Hunnam and gleeful Mel Gibson performances are worth the admission however, but do not expect another Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Spoilers to follow

The film opens on Charlie Waldo (Hunnam), grizzled and unshaven, eschewing the comfort of city life to live in an isolated northern California caravan.

We later discover this is a self-imposed quarantine for Waldo, who was previously a high-flying cop in the LAPD.

Former flame Lorena Nascimento (Morena Baccarin) pays him a visit however, drawing Waldo back into a world he has tried to forget.

Major television star Alastair Pinch (Gibson) has been accused of murdering his wife and the studio wants to hire Waldo to clear his name.

After feigning a lack of interest, he is quickly convinced to take the case and begins to peel back the layers of intrigue surrounding the murder.

Naturally, in the spirit of noir detective films, everyone who appears on screen is at some point a suspect.

Waldo throws himself into the seedy LA underworld and gets beaten up on multiple occasions – always by a person of colour.

This strangely antiquated position on representation is uncomfortable to watch, and it feels like a weak attempt to make the film ‘edgy’.

Nevertheless, there are many enjoyable sequences as Last Looks hurtles towards its conclusion.

A starkly lit diner meeting between Waldo and potential suspect Jayne White (Lucy Fry) is fraught with tension and intrigue.

Scenes where the gruff Waldo and flamboyant Pinch find themselves in conflict are also memorable.

The film’s ‘aha moment’, when everything comes together, leaves a lot to be desired unfortunately.

Many of the red herrings are somewhat boring, while the eventual killer’s motivations are weak.

Last Looks does not break any new ground but is interesting in its occasional fever dream high points.

Watch it for the performances more than the storyline.

Rated 18 for language, violence and scenes of a sexual nature.

2.5/5.

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