Not Coming to a Theater Near You

Last Embrace

Uneven early thriller from Jonathan Demme pits an uncomfortable looking Roy Scheider against an unknown force that apparently wants him dead. Is it his old employer, the CIA, out to keep him quiet? Is it a mysterious organization of Jewish assassins out for inexplicable vengeance? Is it the bookish professor of ancient Hebrew determined to protect his lady love? If only Scheider’s character were more confidently drawn, such a mystery may well have resulted in a great film. As it is, Roy never quite gets the direction he needs, seemingly unsure if he’s supposed to be mourning his late wife, suffering from paranoia, or slipping into insanity. By the time the tale rolls around to its conclusion, this lack of concrete characterization ends up being a distraction.

There are bright spots, such as the climax at Niagara Falls, a Hitchcockian bell tower chase, and several entertaining scenes between Roy and an old Jewish man who helps him unravel the mystery. But the film’s penchant for shifting tones just as things get interesting ensure that we’re never allowed to fully immerse ourselves in the thrill of uncovering the truth. Couple that with long stretches of unrealistic dialog and a reveal that comes much too early, and whatever impact the unsettling reason for Roy’s torment may have had is severely diluted. And what an awful title.

by Thomas Scalzo   on 02 Aug 2011 6:19 PM   Source: Netflix Instant