Having a beautiful girlfriend, a fantastic job, and a baby on the way may be the ideal life for many 29-year-old men. But for Michael, the central character in "The Last Kiss," this good fortune seems too absolute, and doubt about his future occupies his mind.
Michael, played by Zach Braff, finds himself torn between the seemingly great life ahead of him with his girlfriend, Jenna (Jacinda Barrett), and the finality that comes along with it. Petrified of marriage and fatherhood, the ticking time-bomb of his impending marriage throws Michael into a tailspin.
In the midst of this premature mid-life crisis, Michael meets a college student named Kim, played by Rachel Bilson, who is cute, young and noticeably interested in him. Despite being deeply in love with the woman carrying his child, he is tempted by the chance to experience something different one last time.
The supporting cast of the film provides an accurate depiction of what it's like to turn 30. Casey Affleck, Eric Christian Olsen and Michael Weston play Michael's life-long friends who struggle with accepting adulthood. Affleck delivers an especially strong performance as a man handling a failing marriage while trying to raise his newborn son.
In addition to all of the good-looking, 30-somethings, the cast is anchored by the two veteran actors who play Jenna's parents: Blythe Danner and Tom Wilkinson. Jenna's mother and Michael find themselves questioning their relationships in similar ways. Instead of wondering about the possibility of one last adventure, Jenna's mother contemplates not taking a chance on love as a younger woman. Her struggle with her past and its effect on her marriage provides an interesting counterpoint to the main story of Michael and Jenna.
Interconnected storylines like these are no surprise given the screenwriter responsible. Paul Haggis, the Oscar winning co-writer of "Crash" (2004) and writer of "Million Dollar Baby" (2004), presents funny, heartfelt dialogue throughout the film. Each character is given enough attention so that the audience can understand and relate to him or her. Strong character development draws audience members in and makes them care about all the characters, regardless of age.
Braff manages to stand out in a solid ensemble performance. His confusion and ambivalence comes through clearly, so much so that the audience still sympathizes with him despite his romantic tryst.
However, Braff's character's bewilderment is comparable to that of his character in "Garden State" (2004). This similarity will undoubtedly lead to comparisons between the two movies, despite their vast differences.
"The Last Kiss" presents more mature characters than those in "Garden State." Barrett comes across as a strong woman looking to build a family, as opposed to Braff's more juvenile love interest in "Garden State," who was played by Natalie Portman. Braff also plays a warmer, more comical man in
"The Last Kiss."
However, the combination of humor and heartbreak makes it difficult for "The Last Kiss" to sustain a consistent tone. Instead, the film is forced to perform an uncomfortable high-wire act in an effort to balance comedy and drama. While director Tony Goldwyn takes advantage of all of the humor and sadness in Haggis' script, they often run too close together, creating some awkward stretches of laughter or unexpected seriousness. Almost all of the jokes work, but all that comedy makes it difficult for the audience to appreciate the intense emotional ride that occurs in the last scene of the film.
The end of the film is unfortunately plagued by a lack of answers. The ambiguous ending provides no closure for audiences that have come to care about these real, tangible characters.
Despite ending on a weak note, the film still leaves viewers with a warm feeling inside. Audiences sympathize with "The Last Kiss'" candid characters; no matter the age of the audience, viewers can relate to the uncomfortable yet unavoidable finality of growing up. Some may be glad that their 30s still lay ahead, while others may lament a missed opportunity-but all will understand the allure of having that one last kiss.
