The Last Time I Committed Suicide (1997)

Redundant and unnecessary.

A Brilliant Conflict

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

To clear up any misconceptions, it's based on the Cherry Mary letter to Kerouac(not Ginsberg) and the Reeves character isn't supposed to be Kerouac, he's supposed to be one of Cassady's old Denver pool hall buddies. If you recall the beginning of the movie, Cassady is writing this story to Kerouac(it's the letter, get it?) why would he be telling Kerouac a story that Kerouac was such a big part of? Plus, Kerouac, though he liked to drink, wasn't like that at all.Although I do believe that Benjamin is based on Ginsberg. Even though the nameless guy from the letter that he represents wasn't Ginsberg, I think Kay took the opportunity of a blank-slate character to make a Ginsberg character(I base this on the attitude of the character, the obvious crush he has on Cassady, and the race car story that Cassady tells him which is a story Cassady told Ginsberg orally in reality that Ginsberg jotted down and that you can find in Cassady's book, The First Third), which is a great idea. Except that Adrian Brody stands firmly as my least favorite Allen Ginsberg portrayal of all time. He did not capture Ginsberg's brand of warmth and sweetness even slightly. The writing cannot be blamed for how annoying Brody played him. See the Ginsberg portrayals in Naked Lunch and I'm Not There for very good Ginsbergs by Michael Zelniker and David Cross. What makes up for Adrian Brody's Ginsberg is Tom Jane's Cassady which is spot on. The way he spoke and moved was perfect. Just short of watching Cassady himself. It was strange to see such good acting and such bad acting right next to each other. Unlike Naked Lunch(Which I think anybody who likes a good movie can easily enjoy) I understand how anyone who doesn't know and like the Beats wouldn't really dig this movie. However it was a lot of fun for me to watch and it will be the next time I watch it too.I don't know if anyone noticed, but in addition to all the lines taken from the letter it's based on, there was lines taken from other stuff Cassady wrote too! Like I said, the race car story he tells Benjamin is a story he told Allen and there is the best line from one of my favorite Cassady/Ginsberg letters: "I see no greatness in myself--I even have no conception of what is greatness. I am a simple-minded, child-like, insipid sort of moronic kind of awkward-feeling adolescent." which is not quoted directly in the movie, as it is in this here review, but it's in there! And I believe the Adventures in Auto Eroticism story is in there too? Probably other stuff I'm forgetting. Anyway, Stephen Kay clearly knows his stuff when it comes to these guys and I don't think the script lacked wit at all, I thought it was natural, especially considering how many of the lines were quotes, I think he mixed them pretty well into his own writing(Although I wouldn't say quite as well a Cronenberg did in Naked Lunch). Also check out Tom Jane in Arrested Development!

The only reason i do not give this movie a ten is because of the ending. But i suppose they really had no choice seeing as how they were basing on a real letter that had been written adn a real person who actually existed, and im guessing actual events maybe. But other than that and Reeves, it was an incredible flicker. original to the T, and written beautifully. *****

"this was not the last time I committed suicide..." That's such an amazing line. It's all about how you make certain choices that could make the world of difference in your future, how the road you have just chosen to take might not be the one that you most want -- but for some reason you take it anyways. That by one choice, you are killing a life that you might've had. It's a great movie! And the ending is wonderful! It's so bittersweet, so honest. It makes me wish that things were as easy as they were then. That like Neal Cassady, I could just drop everything, hop into a stolen car, and ride away --- doesn't matter where, just away.

This film is a perfect evocation of Neal Cassady, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and the times that they lived in. It is the way they and other members of the Beat Generation lived. The script by Stephen Kay is based on a letter that Neal Cassady wrote to Allen Ginsberg about an adventure he had with a girl called Cherry Mary. Thomas Jane gives an outstanding performance as Neal, and Gretchen Mol is a scene-stealer as Cherry Mary. The cast is rounded out with strong supporting turns by Claire Forlani, Keanu Reeves (surprise, surprise!), and Adrien Brody. The direction, soundtrack, costumes, and cinematography all conspire to put you back in time. Stephen Kay is an assured director with just the right touch.