The Last Kiss

If you liked Garden State, this one is worth a look. I didn't know much about this film going in. From the title, I actually thought it would be a sugary, formulaic, romantic comedy. Now that I've seen the movie, I didn't think it was so much of a comedy. Maybe "dramedy" would be a more accurate description.

The film looks into the lives of a circle of friends in their late 20s going into their 30s and they experience what some might call a pre-mid-life crisis.

Michael (Zach Braff) is not yet engaged with Jenna (Jacinda Barrett) but they are expecting a child together. Jenna believes she has Michael all figured out, that love and marriage is black and white and can be neatly plotted out. Michael is terrified in what he percieves to be the "finality" of marriage. At a wedding, he is drawn towards Kim (Rachel Bilson). Kim's youthful charms and sensuality prove to be a bit too hard for Michael to resist.

Chris (Casey Affleck) is married and has a child with Lisa (Lauren Lee Smith). Their baby was suppose to bring him and his wife closer but that has turned out not to be the case.

Izzy (Michael Weston). Sh*t happens is the understatement of the year for this guy. Just about everything that could go wrong in Izzy's life happens. His relationship with his longtime girlfriend Arianna has recently ended, his father is deathly ill and he is expected to take over his family business.

Kenny (Eric Olsen) is the ultimate free spirit. He lives for the moment and doesn't really fret too much about the future.

We also witness the troubled marriage of Jenna's parents Stephen (Tom Wilkinson) and Anna (Blythe Danner).

While the characters are obviously flawed, they feel real. Just when you are about to not like a certain character, you see a glimpse of a different side to them and you become sympathetic. We can see ourselves or possibly know someone who has been in their situation(s). While the film centers on Michael, Jenna and Kim, the supporting cast is terrific and they are also given enough screen time to allow their characters to be fleshed out. The film also works without being overly melodramatic and doesn't force any life lessons onto you.

Initially I had mixed feelings on the ambiguity of the ending but I now lean more towards it being appropriate and intentional and was somewhat relieved that there was no "Hollywood ending." However, I can also understand how some may feel a little underwhelmed by the ending after all the emotional investment.

Like Garden State, a nice soundtrack is also featured here.

Overall, The Last Kiss is an interesting examination of commitment, the rite of passage in going from your 20s to your 30s, the underpinnings of love, and takes a hard look at the innards of love rather than romance. Stephen: "What you feel only matters to you. It's what you do to the people you love. That's what matters. That's the only thing that counts."