The Last Kiss (2001)

Just perfect...

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

hyped garbage

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

"The Last Kiss" is a bit ambiguous, I think, but it seems more like an indictment than of a celebration of men. (If I'm wrong, then the ending is a drippy cop-out and the worst of any good movie I've ever seen). How else does one account for the central character being arguably the most reprehensible of a nearly irredeemable lot. True, not all these guys are unsympathetic but they do exist in a tiny continuum of male bonding--which is invariably a superficial enterprise--and arrested development. They pose two choices to themselves--the boring safety of a loveless marriage or an endless all-male safari in Africa. The only exception to this group is Giulia's mother's ex-lover who is capable of both love and thought. The rest are child men who experience un-accommodating women as the pressure of unfreedom and traps. (yes, there's far more drama here than comedy) The three worst men in the group are Carlos, Alberto, and Paulo. Paulo is a fast-talking, faster-acting cad who can't settle for anything less than ownership of his partner. He expresses public hostility and violence toward both her and her new boyfriend. To him she is a ball-breaking bitch--she wears glasses, no less. Jealousy is the only real emotion he experiences. He's so caught in this swirl that he's hardly aware of his own dying father. What he needs is to escape the whole female world and so he signs on to the deserter's expedition.Alberto is a brazen womanizer. Unlike Paulo, he has no moments of softness. He has no problem with starry-eyed lies to sincere lovers. His long hair, hipness, and cool signify nothing in terms of breaking any gender molds. In fact, he is more detestable than his more conservative buddies---who he really likes more than women, interrupting his "love-making" on their account, and as ready for the African adventure as any of them. His difference may fool enough "chicks" to keep him satisfied, but his is a phallic worldview, which offers him prerogatives and privileges he is only too willing to embrace.Carlos, as more like everyman, showing what the average guy is capable of when his ideals are subject to a slight amount of "pressure," is perhaps the most insidious of the lot. He is a skin deep kind of guy--knowing enough but passive. He has a wandering mind, a wandering intent, a wandering consciousness. And these are what he brings to his moments of crisis. First he half cheats on a courageous--and soon ferocious wife, then he tries to lie his way back, then takes direct revenge on her by sleeping with the just discarded Francesca, and then, adopting a de-sensitized Alberto posture, checks out on this loving teen with nary a glance or a word. Finally, borrowing from fast-talking Paulo, he play-acts the wounded lover, and ingratiates himself with his wife, who eventually caves (not convincingly) for form's sake. Now Giulia has two children--she is pregnant with a girl--a daughter and a husband-son. The child man has arranged a for a child life. For the order, safety, and emotional certainty that wife and mother represent for him are now his. (Of course, Giulia, might soon disturb this placid scenario, as the final note seems to imply--looks like another child man though)

"L'Ultimo Bacio" is probably a movie most men will recognize themselves in all too well, because it was based on what most of us actually feel when they are finally expected to grow up when they are around thirty. They are expected to settle, to get married and to start a family. All very important decisions and we never feel very comfortable making them. Do we want to give up life as an irresponsible "bachelor", will we try to spend the rest of our lives with only one woman, are we ready to raise kids...If you expect any answers from this movie, than I'll have to disappoint you, because you won't really find any good ones. It shows how four male friends desperately try to be free. One of them meets an 18-year old schoolgirl at a wedding party, falls in love with her and betrays his pregnant fiancée, jeopardizing his entire future and family. One of the others only fights with his wife, the third one wants to escape form his dying father and the last one wants to keep living as a hippie. They all have their reasons to leave their actual lives and they start making plans to make a trip around the world, but will they leave or finally accept the real life...In a way this is a very typical Italian movie. Personally I love that, but I guess there are several people who don't. The style, the music, the acting, it all can be found in similar Italian movies and less in other European productions. So if you absolutely hate Italian movies, than you better don't even start watching it. In my opinion this isn't a movie for very young people either. I'm not saying they shouldn't watch it, but I think an 18-year old probably can't understand all too well why it's so difficult to make that important step once you're thirty, just because he or she doesn't have to think about it yet. Being almost 27 myself, I know all too well, what it means.All in all this is a very nice movie that I would recommend to most people. Despite what you might think this isn't a very corny movie and has absolutely nothing to do with how most Hollywood comedies with such a message would look like. It's wonderful, it's realistic, it's everything I need in a movie and that's why I give it an 8/10.

Great for Italian speakers and those who do not know the language. This film captures the authentic Italian "way" while making you laugh. I think if you will enjoy this film regardless of age or gender (although I suggest it for people who are at least 17). On a more wistful note, Ultimo Bacio allows you to contemplate how the characters and storyline relate to your own life. Raises the challenges that we face when we love - the conflict that we feel. The movie skillfully addresses the struggle between responsibility to self and others, doing what is right and expected vs. doing what one wants and thinks will make him/her happy. Fast-paced cuts from one scene to another make the film easy to watch while keeping your attention. You will love this film! Fantastico!

Good for Gabrielle Muccino, who wrote and directed this film!. A very good film. The user comment I read in this board mentioned whether or not to take seriously the italian's temper or if the outbursts were meant to make people laugh. The answer (from my South-American Latin perspective) is...of course they were serious and very real!. We don't usually "hide" our feelings. If we feel angry, we show it! If we feel great, we show! When we laugh, we laugh out loud! When we love, we do it with passion! The film is very good. Martina Stella (the 18-yr old high school girl who falls in love with the 29-yr Marco) in her featured debut is very good, and simply delightful to watch, since she is actually very pretty and sexy. I saw this film on DVD in the same session along with "Bella Martha" (also written/directed by a woman, Sandra Nettelbeck, check it out). Even when the latter is superior, "L'ultimo baccio" (Italian for "The Last Kiss") is nevertheless a very good film. This film mixes a first-rate modern cinematography with what used to be called "Italian realism" of the 50s and 60s. The mix is great and works fine.