THE LAST SUPPER
A film review by J. Tayloe Emery
Copyright 1996 USPAN
this review is also posted at http://moviereviews.com/coc-dave-rubitout.html
Was it just coincidence that "The Last Supper " was released Easter Week? Were they hoping to catch everyone in that crucifiction spirit? Regardless, "The Last Supper " is a film that should have followed its own storyline and killed itself, as well, before ever making it up on the screen. Don't be fooled by the big-name cameos; the rushed plotline and insensitive dialogue drowns this movie within the first ten minutes.
A group of Iowa grad students are sharing a house together and every Sunday they get together and spew their idealized philosophies. That is until...he came over. He is Bill Paxton, most recent of Apollo 13 but still affectionately known as "Chett" from "Wierd Science. " Paxton plays a knife wielding, ex-marine, child molester who of all things gets invited to dinner after helping one of the fellas with a flat tire. Dinner conversation that evening centers around the problems of the world and Paxton makes no bones about who he thinks are the culprits...who else? The usual stereotypes; Jews; Women; and African-Americans. Paxton's views might win over a few in the truckstops across the heartland, but does not sit well in the presence of the five liberals who have two women, a jew, and a black in their ranks. Next thing you know, fists are raised; knives are drawn; Paxton gets his.
This starts a long line of invited "guests" who come over for Sunday dinner and end up in the vegetable garden pushing up tomato plants. Ten in all, and everyone of them seemingly worse than the one before. The Liberals are out to "put some action behind our words." Killing off right wing radicals seems like a logical way way to do it, but it soon becomes very unbelievable that no one in the town (save the inquisitive, yet slow, Sheriff played by Nora Dunn) would catch on. I mean even right wing freaks have families and friends...don't they? In the end they push their luck to far by inviting a Rush Limbaughish character to dine, and he transcends the whole film.
This movie marks the directorial debut of a talented young lady, Stacy Title. An Academy Award Nominee for her short film, "Down On the Waterfront, " this film may have been a bit big to swallow for a major production. My biggest problem is in the acting; all five actors look as if they lost interest in portraying real characters. The stereotypes are so commonly thrown around in this film that they end up sticking to the characters, and cheapening their roles. I hope Stacy's next film is a strong effort.
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