When I first think of the assassin and mobster movie genres, I admit my mind immediately drifts to one of two images. The first, a suave tuxedo wearing, martini-sipping spy saving the world by day and breaking hearts by night. The second, a group of hefty Italian men hunched around a poker table in a quiet bistro engulfed in a cloud of cigar smoke where stakes are far higher than the pile of plastic chips and a handful of bills. Keeping these classic movie stereotypes in mind, I sat down to watch The Last Lullaby unsure what to expect.
Well let me tell you fellow film junkies, The Last Lullaby's protagonist Price, a hitman struggling to come to terms with his recent retirement from "the bizz" prescribes to none of the above characteristics - and it couldn't have been more refreshing. The Last Lullaby is a perplexing film, a juxtaposition of beautifully framed shots (the film was shot in its entirety in and around Shrevport, Louisiana) and the chaos of gunfire and bloodshed. I remained revited to the screen for all of the film's 93 minutes - and ladies, this is coming from a girl who can say she's seen Pride and Prejudice at least 50 times. Guys, don't let that last sentence scare you, trust me there's still plenty of action - including a car chase and a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Needless to say, all of the actors in the film were spectacular - but I strongly suspect that Tom Sizemore's portrayal of Price and Sasha Alexander as the dazzling Sarah he is called out of retirement to kill, are two performances that will certainly linger in my mind for a long time to come.
I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to learn that The Last Lullaby was Jeffrey Goodman's first full-length feature, for from what I've seen from watching this surefire sleeper hit, (yes, pun intended) we certainly haven't seen the last of Goodman.
The Last Lullaby is playing at the Globe on Sunday Sept 27th at 7:15pm. An encore presentation of the film will be shown at Eau Claire Market on Sept 29th at 7pm.
