last looks (2021 movie review)

“Last Looks” starts with a montage: a man lives in a trailer in the wild, washing naked in the creek, and listening to apocalyptic predictions on the radio in regarding climate change. He’s written on the side of his trailer: DON’T WANT. DON’T ACQUIRE. Got it. We know who this guy is. Or do we? The fun of “Last Looks,” and it is often quite fun, is getting to know him. He’s been off the grid for a while, but it only takes the slightest tug to draw him back into the smog-covered corruption-filled metropolis of Los Angeles. And so what seems at first to be something along the lines of “ Leave No Trace ” or “ Into the Wild ” is revealed, in fact, to be a shaggy P.I. story of the old school (for which I have a soft spot). “Last Looks,” directed by Tim Kirkby , with a screenplay by Howard Michael Gould (based on his 2018 novel of the same name) has a familiar form: a disgruntled ex-cop gets drawn into the underworld from whence he came, maybe looking for personal redemption, or at least a way back into the sunlight.

The bearded mountain man is Charlie Waldo, played by Charlie Hunnam , an intriguing actor who chooses interesting material, and appears to choose very carefully. He is in the rare “character actor in a leading man’s body” category, and is nearly unrecognizable here with scraggly beard covering his face and neck, crumpled hat pushed down over his eyes. Over the course of the film, he is beaten up over and over again, thrashed by this or that “heavy,” cuts and bruises added to his face in every scene. He’s a mess.

What draws Charlie out of the mountains is a visit from an ex-flame named Lorena ( Morena Baccarin ). A famous actor named Alastair Pinch ( Mel Gibson ) has been arrested for murdering his wife, and Lorena has a vested interest in proving Pinch didn’t do it. She begs Waldo to return to solve the case. Turns out, Waldo is an ex-cop who solved a high-profile case and then fell into disgrace. He says he didn’t just burn bridges, he “burned the river.” Waldo insists to Lorena that he’s done, he has “divested,” whittling down his possessions “to 100 things.” Lorena deadpans, “And you kept that hat?” Waldo eventually caves and bicycles back to Los Angeles (Waldo may have “divested” but he hasn’t moved to, say, Idaho, or the Yukon. He is basically right outside Los Angeles, a funny touch).

“Last Looks” features an enormous cast of characters, each with a name as distinct as the guests at Jay Gatsby’s famous parties, where it’s hard to tell what’s a real name and what’s a nom de guerre or nom de plume. Charlie Waldo staggers through this bizarre roll call like a man in a maze. He meets: Wilson Sikorsky ( Rupert Friend ), motormouth head of a television network, Fontella Davis ( Robin Givens ), Pinch’s frustrated famous lawyer, and the murder suspect himself, Alastair Pinch (Gibson), sporting Geraldo-Rivera-style facial hair, who claims he was in an alcoholic blackout when his wife was murdered. Gibson spouts every line of dialogue like he’s at the Old Globe, uses words like “élan” and “snifter,” and corrects Waldo’s pronunciation of “Vase” with “ Vahz .” It’s a very funny performance. Other crucial figures: Don Q ( Jacob Scipio , hilarious), Don Q’s “heavy” with the diminutive name “Nini” ( Deacon Randle ), a rapper named Swag Doggg, with three G’s. (Swagg Doggg, by the way, is played by Clifford Smith Jr., a.k.a. “ Method Man ” of the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as his collaborations with Redman. Legend.) Finally, there’s Jayne White ( Lucy Fry ), a first grade teacher with a wild side. Everyone is a potential suspect.

This all sounds like a classic noir, and there are some overt stylistic touches: ceiling fans, Venetian blinds, and a scene in a bar featuring drastic lights and shadows. The noir “nods” are self-conscious set dressing, calling attention to themselves in the midst of the more madcap 1970s vibe of the rest, as the increasingly bedraggled Waldo clambers onto his bicycle again and again to seek out yet another suspect with an unusual name. Shane Black ‘s wonderful “ The Nice Guys ” is an obvious reference point (including a nod to Christmas in a late scene, a Shane Black motif), although Black’s film is more stylistically coherent. “Last Looks” works best in its twisted often-incoherent plot, where no character is generic. Everyone has a secret. No one is on the level. Surfaces lie.

Tim Kirkby is very comfortable in the comedy realm, judging from his television history, and his background filming specials for standup comedians. He skillfully directed the pilot of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s “Fleabag,” a sui generis phenom, with wild switchbacks in tone, from raunchy to poignant to thoughtful. (There are so many ways “Fleabag” could have been derailed, but Kirkby set the ship out to sea with sails unfurled to catch the proper wind.) He manages a huge cast here, and everyone is on the same page, tone-wise. This takes real skill. The script makes me want to read the book and is notable in that no two characters talk in the same cadence or flow. Each character has their own rhythm. It’s a film filled with unique voices.

Some people might find “Last Looks” frustrating, might find the whole thing artificial or unsatisfying. At one point, Waldo sums up the whole plot to Sikorsky, laying out all he has learned. Sikorsky proclaims in horror, “There are gaping holes in your narrative!” He’s right. But it doesn’t really matter.

Now playing in theaters and available on digital platforms.

Sheila O'Malley

Sheila O’Malley received a BFA in Theatre from the University of Rhode Island and a Master’s in Acting from the Actors Studio MFA Program. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

• Charlie Hunnam as Charlie Waldo
• Mel Gibson as Alastair Pinch
• Morena Baccarin as Lorena
• Clancy Brown as Big Jim Cuddy
• Rupert Friend as Wilson Sikorsky
• Lucy Fry as Jayne White
• Dominic Monaghan as Warren Gomes
• Jacob Scipio as Don Q
• Paul Ben-Victor as Conady
• Method Man as Swag Dogggg
• David Pasquesi as Darius Jamshidi
• Sophie Fatu as Gaby Pinch
• Robin Givens as Fontella Davis
• Xen Sams as Allie Jamshidi
• CC Castillo as Rosario
• Deacon Randle as Nini
• Paul Ben-Victor as Lt. Pete Conady

Writer (based on the novel by)

• Howard Michael Gould
• Joe Landauer
• Nicholas Monsour

Cinematographer

• Lyle Vincent
• Peter Nashel

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Last Looks (2022) | Film Review

Aaron B. Peterson February 2, 2022

In Last Looks , Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam) is an ex-cop from the streets of Hollywood who, after his conscience gets the better of him, decides to chuck-it-all and retire to a life of stripped-down minimalism. Deep in the hills, his ex-love and current private eye, Lorena (Morena Maccarin), needs Waldo’s help on a huge case: Hollywood legend Alastair Pinch’s (Mel Gibson) wife has been murdered in their home, and Alastair is the prime suspect. Lorena’s presence lures Waldo back into the fold, and our shaggy detective eventually takes the case.

At the forefront of Last Looks is Charlie Hunnam’s Charlie Waldo, a character who obviously used to be hot shit in Hollywood, but has lost a step through his complete social distancing from society as a whole. Despite a stacked cast and much like the story itself, the film is on Hunnam’s shoulders to make-or-break.

Waldo – which is assumingly a play on the fact that he’s so hard to find – begins the film uninterested in the case at all before succumbing waist deep into the Hollywood abyss as he obsesses to hunt down the killer. As Waldo ventures through his journey of weird coincidences, sexy kindergarten teachers, and random ass-whoopings; his character finally finds his footing. Hunnam assuredly portrays a man who is gradually reminding himself of his gifts and why Lorena wanted him for this job in the first place. By the murder’s reveal, Hunnam’s character has become the detective his legend proclaimed him to be, and also leaves us immediately wanting more of Charlie Waldo on the case.

As insipid drunk but doting dad Alastair Pinch, Mel Gibson gets to infuse a whiff of playful mischief as that stereotypical Hollywood royalty with an absurdly exaggerated accent who drinks himself into a stupor, yet gracefully recites dialogue on cue as if it’s Shakespeare in the Park. Gibson has mostly played brooding badasses these past few years, so it was refreshing to catch that twinkle in his eye that is too often left on the cutting room floor as he sashays around his own persona to deliver an eclectic character that is always a joy to watch.

Equal parts quirky character study on the facets of Hollywood fame and slow-burn murder mystery, Last Looks is an engaging hodge-podge of ideas and performances that doesn’t always blend together. As Waldo bicycles around Hollywood and encounters the typical red herrings and fun cameos, a few of those puzzle pieces feel jammed in by the end. Thankfully, Waldo is always fun to watch, and the ultimate reveal with Waldo finally back in his element is worth the price of admission alone.

The Hollywood Outsider Review Score

Performances - 7, screenplay - 6.5, production - 6.

Charlie Hunnam carries this quirky murder-mystery, along with an engaging supporting turn from Mel Gibson.

Tags charlie hunnam last looks lucy fry mel gibson Morena Baccarin

About Aaron B. Peterson

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Movie Review – Last Looks (2021)

October 1, 2023 by Robert Kojder

Last Looks , 2021.

Directed by Tim Kirkby. Starring Charlie Hunnam, Mel Gibson, Morena Baccarin, Clancy Brown, Rupert Friend, Lucy Fry, Dominic Monaghan, Jacob Scipio, Paul Ben-Victor, Method Man, David Pasquesi, Sophie Fatu, Robin Givens, Xen Sams, CC Castillo, and Deacon Randle.

A disgraced ex-cop seeks solace by moving to the woods, but his quiet life comes to an end when a private eye recruits him to investigate a murder.

“There are a lot of moving parts to this mystery,” mentions unlicensed private detective Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam playing the sleuth as rusty and impulsive but capable) during the big revelation in Last Looks , to which we can only respond, “no shit.” Either director Tim Kirkby, writer Howard Michael Gould (adapting his book), or perhaps both are self-aware that this case branches off into multiple outlandish threads, so you can’t help laughing when it’s acknowledged. It’s also a plus that Charlie Hunnam is quite likable in the role; he’s quirky, has a typical dark past, is both in over his head yet the right person for the job, and headstrong not afraid to occasionally think with his fists over his brain even if it usually just gets him concussed.

Waldo (such a wacky name choice for a detective, but one that completely embodies the brand of humor here) currently lives in a trailer surrounded by the forest, having retreated to Los Angeles after disgracefully losing his police badge. Of course, there is more to it than that, but when we meet Waldo, he enjoys a simple life of nature, is eco-friendly, and chooses to only live with exactly 100 items in his trailer. Some of these eccentricities disappear once his former flame Lorena (Moreno Baccarin, basically only here to push the plot into motion) pulls Waldo back to Los Angeles to investigate a crime scene, but the character is distinct enough to make one wish Rian Johnson teams him up with Daniel Craig for a future Knives Out sequel.

The crime at hand involves a fictional junk TV Hollywood actor named Alastair Finch (Mel Gibson, chewing the scenery coming across as a British Colonel Sanders more than anything, by far the weakest link here putting in the one performance that stretches the quirk aspect a bit too far) accused of murdering his wife. Hotshot network executive Wilson Sikorsky (Rupert Friend) is panicking that his biggest draw is about to be locked up, triggering desperation to contact anyone and everyone to bring Waldo out of retirement for the case. Naturally, Waldo initially refuses until things get personal, and a zest for life is mildly reawakened in the form of a thrill-seeking seductive kindergarten teacher played by Lucy Fry.

Suspects include everyone from random henchman hired to follow or attack Waldo, a rival private eye (Dominic Monaghan), a rival TV executive (David Pasquesi), a shady character referring to himself as Dom Q (Jacob Scipio) looking for something described as a “mem,” a rising fictional hip-hop group led by Method Man, and Clancy Brown as the chief of police who seems to want someone locked up and the case closed. Waldo has also seen enough in his past to know that the force doesn’t necessarily care about getting the case right, a gut feeling that’s reassured when he is scolded for questioning low-level officers that were first on-site.

Last Looks is a tad too long for its own good, especially since it’s not exactly challenging to pinpoint who is responsible and has crucial information. At times, the jokes can also be sophomoric (a police officer with a surname that sounds like “anus.” However, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the silliness surrounding the tragedy and Waldo’s various motives for delivering justice. It’s an experience that’s primarily middling until Waldo cracks the case and lays out the facts. In that moment, it’s both entertaining and brings forth a greater appreciation for everything that came before, flaws and all. I don’t know if Waldo has any other novels, but if he gets another cinematic case, it would be worth giving a first look.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★  / Movie: ★ ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check  here  for new reviews, follow my  Twitter  or  Letterboxd , or email me at [email protected]

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Last looks review: murder mystery is notches below knives out, but still fun.

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A good murder mystery is hard to come by in the 21st century, so it's no surprise audiences welcomed a film like Knives Out with open arms, as the genre was in a slump. Well, look no further for the next good murder mystery. While Last Looks  is a notch or two beneath the genre’s classics, it's nice to know this movie is out there in 2022. Every character offers something entertaining — from the goofy gangster to the adorable kid. Crucially, Last Looks'  groovy tone allows the viewer to simultaneously try and crack the case while never having to overly invest in the plot.

When aging, but still profitable actor Alastair Pinch (Mel Gibson) is accused of murdering his wife, money-hungry studio head Wilson Sikorsky (Rupert Friend) enlists the help of Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam), an ex-cop with a blemished past, to exonerate his golden goose. Everyone including Waldo is certain Pinch is guilty. That is, until people involved in the case start disappearing and a slew of gangsters begin showing up at Waldo’s doorstep asking questions he doesn’t have the answers to. The story takes some well-earned twists and turns en route to its genuinely surprising end.

Related:  Charlie Hunnam Reunites With Old Flame In Last Looks Clip [EXCLUSIVE]

The mystery at the center of Last Looks runs like a well-oiled machine. The litany of suspects outside of the obvious is genuinely up in the air. At no point does the protagonist seem like he is truly in control nor does it feel like someone else is holding all the answers. It's up to the audience to solve the case and there is more than one to solve. There are also a few well-placed and well-filmed red herrings that will throw viewers off the scent. The secret sauce, however, is that Last Looks  is a good movie and not just a good mystery.

The film is good at shepherding the audience through the plot without ever really forcing the mystery aspect down their throat. There is nothing new about a male character going on one last job; it's a plot device as old as time. However, in the case of Last Looks , screenwriter Howard Michael Gould ( The Six Wives Of Michael Lefay ) — who also authored the source material — plays the “one last job” for laughs and it totally works. Waldo’s most tangible foe is not solving the murder, but the implications of him returning to Los Angeles, a city whose citizens aren't too happy he is back. This works best with Jacob Scipino’s ( Bad Boy’s For Life ) character Don Q, who is hysterical about Waldo entering a world he has no business in. In his best scene, he asks two minutes worth of questions about a tablet he smashes to bits like a frustrated child. Similarly, Method Man ( The Wire ) makes a hilarious cameo and his goons also take Hunnam's character down a peg while insulting every part of his life.

Director Tim Kirby ( Fleabag ) did a great job melding mystery with energetic filmmaking that occasionally veered off into suspect territory. Waldo's only mode of transportation is a fixed gear bike and he's inseparable from his fedora. At times it's hard to tell if the movie is poking fun at this type of Bohemian lifestyle or those who mock him. Similarly, in a Hollywood that, in recent years, has called out workplace aggression and assault, Gibson regularly punching PAs in the movie and it being played for laughs is an odd choice, to say the least (especially considering his personal history). Even more perplexing is a scene where Hunnam confronts his old precinct and accuses them of being corrupt, implying that the rich and famous get the same police treatment that regular folks get.

The flaws of Last Looks are easily overlooked, however, because both the journey and destination are worth the watch. If you are looking for a great cast of characters feverishly losing their minds across a contemporary and beautifully lit Los Angeles, Last Looks delivers.

Next:  Last Looks Trailer: Mel Gibson & Charlie Hunnam Team Up in Action-Comedy

Last Looks  released in theaters and on demand February 4. The film is 110 minutes long and is rated R for pervasive language. The film is 110 minutes.

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Cinema Scholars reviews the new film Last Looks , starring Charlie Hunnam, Morena Baccarin, Rupert Friend, and Mel Gibson. Directed by Tim Kirkby, the film is based on the 2018 crime-mystery novel of the same name, the first book in the “Charlie Waldo” series written by Howard Michael Gould. Gould also writes the film’s screenplay.

Synopsis    

In Last Looks , Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam) is a disgraced former LAPD police officer. Having left the force for a more simple life, Waldo lives in a trailer in the woods, raising chickens. He’s a devoted nature lover who has spurned materialism, in favor of living life off the grid. In the private-eye trope of “just one more case,” Waldo’s former lover, Lorena (Morena Baccarin), a private detective, tries to pull him out of retirement.

The case and client that Waldo takes on (against his will) is that of drunken TV actor Alistair Pinch (Mel Gibson). Pinch is a British Shakespearean trained actor and successful TV judge whose wife has turned up murdered. He’s also prone to frequent blackouts. Pinch is the prime suspect and remembers nothing. When Waldo gets sucked back into the world he is trying so hard to stay away from, his life gets turned upside down.

Throughout Last Looks , Waldo has to contend with ruthless gangsters, over-the-top Hollywood executives, and seductive kindergarten teachers, all in the name of getting to the truth, and perhaps redeeming his tarnished name and reputation. As the bicycle-riding Waldo gets pulled deeper and deeper into this mystery, all he really wants is to be left alone, where he can raise his chickens, and live in peace.

Last Looks is a fun and quirky comedy-noir. The film looks good and watching it, one gets an early Coen Brothers vibe. Also, the physicality of the film works, especially the scenes between Hunnam and Gibson. The two actors dominate their scenes. However, as is the fatal flaw with lesser films of this genre, the murder mystery plot never really gets going and fails to suck the viewer in.

Last Looks doesn’t quite have the charm, wit, and technical expertise of the films that it is trying to emulate. Namely, The Nice Guys (2016), The Gentleman (2019 and also starring Hunnam), and Hail, Caesar ! (2016). It also doesn’t help that the film is poorly edited and tends to jump around too much. Last Looks also doesn’t have a lot of action or suspense which is surprising for a film of this genre.

Gould’s screenplay would have been better served if it had more explored Waldo’s past with the LAPD and how he was disgraced. Not enough focus is spent on this. As a result, Hunnam’s performance never feels fully formed. With that said, seeing Mel Gibson portray a snobby, English TV star is enjoyable and makes up for the film’s failings.

While the plot of Last Looks is often confusing and muddled, veteran British television director Tim Kirkby ( Fleabag, Veep ) keeps the film from completely falling apart. His film truly shines when the focus is on comedy, specifically the back and forth banter between Hunnam and Gibson. The action and story in Last Looks may be somewhat lacking, but the comedic chemistry between its stars is there.

Performances

Charlie Hunnam spends a good portion of Last Looks getting beaten up and bullied. While it tends to get repetitive, Hunnam dominates the film in a good way. The actor is building on his successful and fantastic leading performance in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentleman . This time around, Hunnam is a bit more reserved in his performance, often coming across as insecure and timid.

Rupert Friend’s portrayal of a Hollywood executive is a standout performance and like Gibson and Hunnam, Friend is clearly is chewing up the scenery. It may be that Morena Baccarin was only available for 2-3 days of filming because she’s criminally underused in this film. However, she does light up the screen for the few scenes that she’s in.

Clancy Brown also appears briefly in the film as a police chief named “Big Jim,” bringing back memories of the sociopathic Captain Hadley from The Shawshank Redemption (1994). Lucy Fry playing the sultry schoolteacher has great chemistry with Hunnam. Dominic Monaghan, Method Man, and Paul Ben-Victor all have supporting roles in the film that are little more than cameos.

In Last Looks , Mel Gibson once again shows the viewing audience why he is an Academy Award winner and has been a Hollywood A-lister for decades. Gibson has plenty to atone for and is certainly a polarizing figure as a result of his public remarks and actions. Yet, there is no denying his on-screen charm and natural likability.

Gibson has settled into supporting roles at this stage in his career and he is clearly enjoying himself. Portraying Alistier Pinch, the actor appears to be having a blast. As he has done for so many years, Gibson demonstrates a combination of physicality and comedic timing that is a staple of his career. He’s the best part of Last Looks , even with the over-the-top British accent.

Last Looks is an average crime caper, replete with the usual cliches of films of the genre. It’s far from a perfect movie, and won’t be winning any awards. Yet, it’s still fun to watch. Especially when Hunnam and Gibson share the screen. While it doesn’t groove like Tarantino, or look visually stunning like Joel and Ethan Coen, Kirkby’s film has moments of flash and brilliance. It’s a fun two hours of your time.

Directed by Tim Kirkby ( Brockmire, Action Point )  and written by Howard Michael Gould ( Mr. 3000 ),  Last Looks will be released by RLJE Films in Theaters, On Demand, and Digital on February 4, 2022.

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Last Looks’ on Hulu, A Hollywood Whodunit With Lo-Fi Charms

Where to stream:.

• Charlie Hunnam

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Charlie Hunnam is one of those actors that the Hollywood industrial complex has worked in overdrive to convince audiences is a bonafide movie star, yet it’s never really taken. With Last Looks , now streaming on Hulu, he gets as close as he’s ever been. Moreso than playing a sword-wielding warrior or any other action here, he’s at home here as a has-been Hollywood detective drawn back into duty by a case that’s just too beguiling to pass up.

LAST LOOKS : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam) is living a life of seclusion and simplicity out in the woods at the start of Last Looks . He achieved a quasi-celebrity status in the City of Angels as the LAPD’s youngest detective, but the hotshot gumshoe goes off-the-grid because he’s haunted by a case gone wrong due to his own ambition. When ex-flame and aspiring private investigator Lorena (Morena Baccarin) locates him, Waldo has divested all but 100 items.

She manages to reel Waldo back into the game, however, with an intriguing case involving the death of the hacky Hollywood actor Alastair Pinch’s (Mel Gibson) wife, a murder in which he’s naturally the prime suspect. Waldo’s re-emergence into the city brings with it an assorted ensemble of characters trying to come out on top. In a town built on artful deception, he’s in for a wild ride as he fends off old rivals, be they cops or criminals, and meets a whole coterie of assorted industry types trying to cash in. Be it studio exec Wilson Sikorsky (Rupert Friend) or a kindergarten teacher (Lucy Punch), Waldo has his work cut out for him to solve the riddle of the living before he can resolve the mystery of the dead.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Last Looks is clearly inspired by the kind of wisecracking detective stories like The Long Goodbye . But it also goes a little bit more into the realm of outright genre revisionism and ribbing, something akin to what Shane Black’s The Nice Guys did.

Performance Worth Watching: No wonder Charlie Hunnam executive produced Last Looks — it’s one of the best showcases for his talent in years. This laconic, observant role is precisely the kind of work in which he excels. Yet this reticent, borderline passive, tendency also makes him uniquely ill-suited to work as a fast-charging Hollywood action hero. It’s nice to see Hunnam playing a little more in his natural comfort zone. (As a reminder: even though his hammy schtick leads to occasional fun, you do not, under any circumstances, gotta hand it to notorious racist and antisemite Mel Gibson.)

Memorable Dialogue: Waldo wins the day here with a snappy line of textbook cynicism we come to expect from a Hollywood-set mystery: “It’s L.A., the star always gets off.”

Sex and Skin: Waldo divests not only his things – but also his clothes. That’s right, you’re going to see some Hunnam hiney here. (Although those looking for something steamy are not in luck as the film’s sensuous scene shrouds skin in shadow.)

Our Take: Like many a sprawling murder mystery, Last Looks gets a bit convoluted as it nears a close. But there’s enough intrigue and tension generated by Howard Michael Gould’s story to keep us drawn in throughout. The film is at its best when director Tim Kirkby just lets it be simple and simmer with Hunnam’s well-defined Waldo. It comes as no surprise to see the giant logo in the closing credits that this Hollywood-set story was, in fact, shot in Georgia. The film does feel a bit constrained by not having a budget as big as its ambitions, and it shows whenever it aims to mimic things like film noir ambiance. All the same, the creative team makes the most of those limitations.

Our Call: STREAM IT! With just enough novelty and a lot of dedication from star Charlie Hunnam, Last Looks makes for an engaging and entertaining mystery. It might not scale the heights of its inspirations, but it’s a modest delight with plenty to offer genre enthusiasts.

Marshall Shaffer is a New York-based freelance film journalist. In addition to Decider, his work has also appeared on Slashfilm, Slant, Little White Lies and many other outlets. Some day soon, everyone will realize how right he is about Spring Breakers.

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Home » Movie News » Last Looks Review

Last Looks Review

PLOT: A former golden boy LAPD detective (Charlie Hunnam) turned recluse is lured back to the city by a former flame (Morena Baccarin) who’s a P.I that vanishes while trying to clear an alcoholic movie star (Mel Gibson) in the brutal slaying of his wife.

REVIEW: As far as VOD movies go, Last Looks has a pretty good pedigree. Had the pandemic not happened (this was shot before), it likely would have gotten some festival play and wound up with a more prestigious release based on the cast alone. It’s based on a series of novels by author Howard Michael Gould, who adapts his book here. Charlie Hunnam plays the hero, Charlie Waldo, who’s a departure for the actor to some degree. Typecast as a tough guy following Sons of Anarchy and his Guy Ritchie movies , Waldo is more of a Fletch -type character. He solves crimes using his wits and often gets the tar kicked out of him in classic private eye fashion. The twist is that he’s also obsessed with sustainability, refusing to drive a car (he takes public transit and his bike), living in a solar-panelled trailer and only allowing himself to own one hundred things. One of them is a giant aluminum sculpture of an elephant. The other is a chicken.

Indeed, Last Looks is more in the vein of Fletch or Kiss Kiss Bang Bang than an action flick, and for the most part, it’s an amusing watch. This is thanks mainly to the top-shelf cast, including Mel Gibson in a meatier role than usual as the rich client Waldo’s helping out. Nowadays, when you see Gibson in something, he usually has little more than a walk-on , similar to the spot other heavyweights of his era have found themselves in. Last Looks is a legitimate supporting role, with his Alastair Pinch an alcoholic eccentric that gives Gibson some scenery to chew on by adopting an effete English accent. The premise isn’t half bad, with Rupert Friend’s sleazy exec wanting Pinch cleared so he can get twenty more episodes of a long-running legal procedural wrapped to kick off a rich syndication deal.

What’s interesting about Last Looks is how unintentionally dated it is in some ways, thanks to all the upheaval in the industry lately. It’s hard to believe that a guy like Pinch, who’s shown to beat up extras, abuse his staff and may have killed his wife, would still be seen as a viable commodity by Hollywood. Nowadays, even the slightest whiff of scandal would get him bounced from the show (even if he is innocent). It almost feels like this should have been set in the nineties.

The seriocomic vibe also doesn’t always work. As much as I love him, Gibson often plays his character a little too broad, compared to Hunnam, who’s more grounded. Gibson acts like he’s in Knives Out , while Hunnam acts like he’s in a more straight-laced movie, even if the role is on the lighter side for him. A subplot involving a low-level gangster (played by Jacob Scipio) also doesn’t amount to much and pads the running time, while supporting players like Clancy Brown and Method Man are under-used. Despite her importance to the plot, Morena Baccarin only has a handful of scenes, with Lucy Fry as a thrill-seeking teacher more the female lead here.

Director Tim Kirkby, who made the Johnny Knoxville movie Action Point , keeps things moving at a solid clip, and the film is at its best towards the end when Gibson gets the opportunity to give his character pathos. When given the right material, Gibson can still bring it – big time. He has good chemistry with Hunnam, and had this been made twenty years ago I imagine Gibson himself would have peen playing Waldo.

In the end, Last Looks is a solid private eye whodunit, even if the ultimate culprit is perhaps too easy to predict. The performances alone make it worth a watch. It’s not in the top pantheon of private eye flicks, but I enjoyed watching it, making it a solid VOD rental for fans of Hunnam and Gibson.

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About the Author

Chris Bumbray began his career with JoBlo as the resident film critic (and James Bond expert) way back in 2007, and he has stuck around ever since, being named editor-in-chief in 2021. A voting member of the CCA and a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, you can also catch Chris discussing pop culture regularly on CTV News Channel.

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Common Sense Media Review

Slight Hollywood mystery-comedy has drinking, swearing.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Last Looks is a Hollywood-set comedy/murder-mystery starring Charlie Hunnam as a disgraced former police detective who's reluctantly called back into service. Expect to see guns and shooting; characters are killed, and one is attacked, beaten up, and whacked with an iron skillet…

Why Age 16+?

Extremely strong, with countless uses of "f--k," "motherf----r," "Jesus f---ing

Guns and shooting; characters are shot and killed. Main character attacked while

Naked male bottom. Two other shots of suggested naked male bottom. Strong sex-re

A main character is depicted as being a frequent drinker who's regularly drunk (

Discussion about Kindle vs. Nook e-readers.

Any Positive Content?

Aside from a brief lesson about trying to protect the planet and a character wor

Characters are too silly to be real role models, but Charlie Waldo seems like a

Two women in large roles, but they're secondary to the two male leads, who are b

Extremely strong, with countless uses of "f--k," "motherf----r," "Jesus f---ing Christ," "c--ksucker," "bulls--t," "s--t," "t-ts," "a--hole," "bitch," "bastard," "ass," "twat," "douche bag," "piss off," "jerk me," "moron," "nuts," "hell," "Jesus."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Guns and shooting; characters are shot and killed. Main character attacked while sleeping, beaten several times, hit with iron skillet (twice). Several scenes of punching and fighting. Head-butting. Gory photo of person burned in car crash. Person dragged by someone putting their finger through an earring hole and pulling.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Naked male bottom. Two other shots of suggested naked male bottom. Strong sex-related dialogue. Suggested sex, couple lying in bed afterward. Kissing. Hugging, flirting.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

A main character is depicted as being a frequent drinker who's regularly drunk (he can't remember certain events). At the end of the movie, he's working to stay sober. Main character drinks whiskey after being sober. Cigarette smoking. Vaping.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Positive messages.

Aside from a brief lesson about trying to protect the planet and a character working to overcome alcohol dependency, no real messages. It's mainly a murder mystery in which very little is at stake and death doesn't mean much.

Positive Role Models

Characters are too silly to be real role models, but Charlie Waldo seems like a genuinely good person, trying to do his part and being generally trustworthy (even if he's said to have had an unruly past).

Diverse Representations

Two women in large roles, but they're secondary to the two male leads, who are both White. Characters of color appear in small parts: A Black woman works on a TV production, and a Black rapper is a minor character. Latino characters are largely depicted as drug dealers and/or criminals.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Parents need to know that Last Looks is a Hollywood-set comedy/murder-mystery starring Charlie Hunnam as a disgraced former police detective who's reluctantly called back into service. Expect to see guns and shooting; characters are killed, and one is attacked, beaten up, and whacked with an iron skillet. There are also many scenes of punching and fighting, with head-butting, and someone being dragged by his earring hole. A gory photo of a person burned in a car crash is seen. There's a suggested sex scene, with characters lying in bed afterward, plus kissing, sex-related dialogue, and a naked male bottom. Extremely strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "motherf----r," "t-ts," "a--hole," and much more. A main character is depicted as being a frequent drinker who's regularly drunk. More social drinking, cigarette smoking, and vaping are also shown. The movie is very slight, with nothing much at stake, but it's consistently amusing and worth a look for mature viewers. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

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There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

In LAST LOOKS, disgraced ex-police detective Charlie Waldo ( Charlie Hunnam ) has taken to living a minimalist lifestyle -- he's vowed to own only 100 things -- in a trailer in the woods. One day, his on-again/off-again lover, private detective Lorena Nascimento ( Morena Baccarin ), shows up and offers him a job in Hollywood, which he refuses. But then Lorena disappears, and a trade magazine announces that Waldo has taken on the job she was working, so he heads to L.A. to find out what's going on. He meets the murder suspect, popular TV actor Alastair Pinch ( Mel Gibson ), who's been accused of killing his wife but was too drunk to remember what happened. Waldo decides to take the case, but the deeper he gets into the investigation, the screwier things become.

Is It Any Good?

This comic detective story ranks several notches below others of its ilk, but it's bright, spirited, and well-told, with an appealing approach to its laid-back, kooky humor and silly characters. Veteran TV writer Howard Michael Gould adapted his own 2018 novel -- the first of three Charlie Waldo books so far -- and has created a fun character for Last Looks who'd be worth seeing again. Hunnam plays Charlie as a zenned-out guy who's largely unaffected by the craziness around him. In one sequence, while in L.A., he gets a phone call from a mysterious voice telling him to meet in his trailer. In a montage, he gets on his bike, rides, catches a bus, rides some more, stops to pee, and finally arrives at his trailer, only to get punched in the face (again). Yet it barely perturbs him. Then, the same montage, in reverse, to get back to L.A.

Other characters are just as fun, including a criminal who's written an epic poem and a rapper called "Swag Doggg" ( Method Man ), who's celebrated for his innovative use of an extra "g." Even Gibson -- his off-screen troubles notwithstanding -- clearly has a ball playing an English dandy who plays a drawling Southern judge on a hit TV show and manages both accents swimmingly. If the movie has a downside, it's that the comedy glosses over the actual murder, and there seems to be no realistic reaction to the death. Nothing really seems to matter. Alistair's young daughter doesn't even seem to mourn her mother. But as a minor whodunit with some genuine giggles, Last Looks is still worth a glance.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Last Looks' violence . How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

How is sex depicted? What values are imparted?

How is alcohol depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

What does the movie have to say about natural resources on our planet? Is it a good idea to become a minimalist and only own "100 things"? Why, or why not?

What's your reaction to seeing Mel Gibson in a movie, given his off-screen behavior?

Movie Details

• In theaters : February 4, 2022
• On DVD or streaming : April 12, 2022
• Cast : Charlie Hunnam , Mel Gibson , Morena Baccarin
• Director : Tim Kirkby
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Latino actors
• Studio : RLJE Films
• Genre : Comedy
• Topics : Book Characters
• Run time : 111 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : pervasive language
• Last updated : May 25, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Last looks review: too much genre posturing, not enough satiric bite.

Throughout Last Looks , the filmmakers tend to a conventional mystery that could have benefited from more satiric intention.

Adapted by Howard Michael Gould from his novel of the same name, Tim Kirkby’s Last Looks is rooted in the classic mold of the whodunit and brims with eccentric personalities. The most prominent among them is Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam), who lives mostly off the grid and keeps a strict limit on items he owns at 100. He’s also a former star LAPD detective who burned bridges with his colleagues by exposing the widespread corruption in the department. Waldo’s peaceful, ascetic lifestyle is eventually disrupted when he’s dragged into the mystery of the murdered wife of Alastair Pinch (Mel Gibson), an alcoholic, has-been actor and prime suspect in the investigation.

Sadly, the offbeat quirkiness that defines the film’s characters doesn’t always rub off on the narrative itself. No matter how many shallow, secretive oddballs Waldo encounters on his meandering tour through Los Angeles—from giddily sycophantic TV network head Wilson Sikorsky (Rupert Friend) to Jayne (Lucy Fry), a kindergarten teacher and femme fatale with a knack for seducing high-profile individuals— Last Looks fails to escape its aura of familiarity.

Even though the storyline is perfunctory and unsurprising, it’s never incoherent, which can’t be said about the film’s tone. Throughout, it’s not uncommon for Last Looks to awkwardly shift from gritty police procedural to noir-soaked melodrama to madcap mystery adventure, à la Robert Zemeckis’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit , over the course of a few scenes.

The film noticeably settles into a comfortable groove when leaning into acerbic comedy, such as a gleefully anarchic sequence when Waldo observes a drunk, belligerent Alastair Pinch taping his show Johnnie’s Bench —only to find that much of the time on set consists of Sikorsky and others bending over backward trying to appease the high-maintenance star. The extravagant comedy of the scene strikes a complementary balance with the characters’ outsized personalities, but the zippy punchiness that marks the sequence quickly dissipates.

Early in Last Looks , a reluctant Waldo is forced back into detective work through an ingenious contrivance: The detective’s appointment on Pinch’s case is made public, much like a blockbuster production’s casting announcement, by being published in the trades. The filmmakers cannily lampoon publicity-minded Hollywood by suggesting that Pinch’s network views the murder case itself as audience-friendly entertainment. It’s a whip-smart moment, but the conventional mystery that the film subsequently tends to belies any satiric intention. Lacking such bite, Last Looks reduces itself to a disposable, tepid exercise in genre posturing.

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‘Last Looks’ Review: A Hollywood Murder Mystery Full of Clichés

A former police officer is drawn back into duty in a case involving a drunken TV star, played by Mel Gibson, and the plot thickens.

• Share full article

By Glenn Kenny

Latter-day Hollywood murder mysteries, from “The Long Goodbye” to “The Dead Pool” to “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” provide filmmakers welcome outlets for both showbiz sensationalism and a little (at least) biting of the hand that feeds them. Oh, and sometimes cliché-mongering. “Last Looks,” directed by Tim Kirkby and based on a novel by Howard Michael Gould, opens with an ex-cop living in self-imposed ascetic exile, a circumstance that now feels as old as time, if not older.

The former officer, Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam), is called upon at the top of his personal mountain by a former partner, who asks Waldo to look into the death of the wife of a drunken TV star named Alastair Pinch, played by Mel Gibson.

Soon all heck breaks loose as a few toughs invade Waldo’s sanctum and kick the stuffing out of him while yelling stereotypical trash talk. (Throughout the movie, it seems that almost every character who commits violence against Waldo is Black or Latino.) Waldo then bikes down to a studio lot and reluctantly begins his investigation.

And then it only gets more odd. Gibson sports Colonel Sanders-like facial hair and crafts a character who’s kind of a hybrid of Oliver Reed and Rich Little (lot of accents). Edgy.

In the course of his inquiries, Waldo meets the attractive kindergarten teacher of Pinch’s child, played by Lucy Fry. This is the kind of movie in which it’s a matter of when rather than if the two characters fall into bed with each other. Tiresome.

Kirkby does keep up a jaunty pace. But he also seems preoccupied with impressing his inner hipster, as with an attitude toward race that dares you to call it cavalier. And his again edgy music choices. I, too, like the new post-prog rock group Squid, but putting their song “Sludge” over the end credits is a non sequitur. This is a picture that could have benefited from the (relatively) finer hand of Shane Black of “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.”

Last Looks Rated R for violence, sexuality, language, adult-oriented cliché-mongering. Running time: 1 hour 50 minutes. In theaters and available to rent or buy on Apple TV , Google Play and other streaming platforms and pay TV operators.

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Directed by Tim Kirkby

This city is a bad place to be a good guy.

A disgraced ex-cop seeks solace by moving to the woods, but his quiet life comes to an end when a private eye recruits him to investigate the murder of an eccentric TV star's wife.

Charlie Hunnam Mel Gibson Morena Baccarin Clancy Brown Rupert Friend Lucy Fry Dominic Monaghan Jacob Scipio Paul Ben-Victor Method Man David Pasquesi Sophie Fatu Robin Givens Xen Sams CC Castillo Deacon Randle Josh McDermitt Michael Otis Angela Oh Suehyla El-Attar Barb Willis Regina Ting Chen Rachel Hendrix Candi VandiZandi Melanie Kiran Alexa Feinstein Howard Michael Gould Kyle Santillian Myron Parker Wright

Director Director

Producers producers.

Steven Shainberg Harrison Huffman Brad Feinstein David Fliegel Andrew Lazar Christina Weiss Lurie

Writer Writer

Howard Michael Gould

Original Writer Original Writer

Casting casting.

Nicole Abellera Hallman

Editors Editors

Nicholas Monsour Joe Landauer

Cinematography Cinematography

Lyle Vincent

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Compton Ross Joseph Ingrassia Phil Hunt David Gendron Brian Pitt Ali Jazayeri Charlie Hunnam

Production Design Production Design

Jeremy Reed

Art Direction Art Direction

Heather R. Dumas

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Debra Echard

Visual Effects Visual Effects

Bryan Haines

Stunts Stunts

Hannah Betts Jeffrey G. Barnett

Composer Composer

Peter Nashel

Costume Design Costume Design

Lynn Falconer

Makeup Makeup

Ariane Turner Jonathan Thornton

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Talya Melvey

Romulus Entertainment Waldo Film Productions Metrol Technology MadRiver International Head Gear Films

Releases by Date

02 dec 2021, 27 jan 2022, 03 feb 2022, 04 feb 2022, 12 may 2022, 08 may 2024, 17 feb 2022, 01 may 2022, 13 jun 2022, 30 jul 2022, 27 aug 2022, 03 aug 2024, 11 nov 2022, 21 jan 2023, releases by country.

• Digital 10 VOD
• Physical DVD & Blu-Ray
• Digital 12 Prime Video
• Physical 12
• Premiere 16
• Theatrical M/14
• Theatrical 16+
• Digital 15 VOYO

South Korea

• Theatrical 15
• Digital 16 VOD
• Digital HBO GO
• Theatrical R

110 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Jordan Beaumont Anderson ★★★

It has everything I love. A detective who's a fucking disaster, face progressively more bruised, thinks he's smart, knows he's dumb, wears a stupid hat. Jovial henchmen just doing their jobs. An ostentatious morally collapsed attorney. A bone-deep hatred for the wealthy and all their works. A hot lady with a secret who is clearly trying to be a honeypot but our dude is too horny to care. Another hot lady that must die to ignite the inciting incident. A mystery so convoluted it's indecipherable when sober.

It all works but nothing really fizzes. Nothing exudes its own light. It just rolls along, a squishy mass on a gentle hill - not going anywhere fast but definitely heading down.

Review by ♠ Benja ♠ ★★★

Neo-Noir comedy, almost parody set in LA? Yeah, why not?

With clever and loopy writing, lots of quirks, and a fantastic cast, pretty much ensembled by people who knew what they were doing, "Last Looks" delivers some goods in its puzzler narrative, but tries too hard sometimes and comes off a little jumbled.

The cast is excellent, some with mere appearances like Clancy Brown, Method Man and Dom Monaghan, Charlie Hunnam pulling off greatly the washed-up P.I, and Mel Gibson and Rubert Friend stealing the show, Mel as the zany TV actor and Rubert as the sketchy glistening teeth Hollywood executive.

Nothing to write home about, but worth the watch for the cast and easygoing laughs. If P.I Waldo sees a return to the screen, a TV series would suit "Last Looks" quirks and whodunit crux way more.

Review by MrPPeeps ★★★½

Well, colour me surprised. I threw this on in the background not expecting much, and I actually had a blast! Such a fun, comical, clever little detective film full of effortless entertainment and plenty of rewatchabiity. Despite having obvious issues, it made me happy and I'd watch like 5 more of these as long as it had Charlie Hunnam as Waldo.

If you go in not expecting much, you'll have a great time.

My Last Review: | Night on Earth |

Review by Kevflix And Chill ★★★ 4

Christmas and snow and power outages have put a damper on some of my movie watching as of late. I think I have 7-8 awards hopeful films sitting in my queue, ready for me to watch. So when this movie that I’d never heard of starring Charlie Hunnam  and  Mel Gibson popped up on a sketchy website, the decision that I needed to make was very clear. I needed to drop everything and watch this.  Honestly, this movie was a pretty good time.  It’s a fairly standard Hollywood detective story. Hunnam plays a disgraced cop turned pseudo Private Investigator.  Gibson plays a English television actor (complete with a wildly over the top accent) accused of murdering his wife. Rupert Friend has a ball…

Review by Ben Peterson ★★★½

It didn't take a lot for me to rent it (Charlie Hunnam, L.A. set, Neo-noir), but dang'd if it isn't just pretty clever and super fun. If you're into quirky private eyes with a quality, true blue film noir script and a good ending, this will really work. Plot meets setting, think if Phillip Marlowe lived in the "Under the Silver Lake" Hollywood... just a little less inscrutable.

Review by Todd Gaines ★★★

Last Looks reminds me of a movie released on the wrong side of 2020. It appears it was filmed before Covid, but I have a feeling it will be hard to attract an audience to watch it at the movies. Last Looks doesn’t look cheap to me, so I hope they can find a way to turn a profit. 

Mel Gibson has embraced his craziness, and I believe he is laughing all the way to the bank. His character is by far the scene stealer. However, his character is a supporting one, so don’t expect all Mel all the time.

I have a feeling the novel the movie is based on is a good read. I also have a feeling if we want to see more of these characters, we will need to read the novels. 

Full review on BULLETPROOF ACTION 

Review by Charly Villa ★★

Cri cri cri cri cri as a cricket would say.

Review by Sam 🎞🏴‍☠️ ★★★

"I live in a trailer with a chicken." 😋

Entertaining neo-noir crime comedy; pretty predictable from the start but due to the cast and fast paced plot it's quite enjoyable.

And you gotta appreciate a PI on a bike in LA 😁 🚲 👏

Would I recommend? Yeah, why not? It's alright.

Review by Bilge Ebiri ★★★½

A boozy, moody, sunny LA noir with Charlie Hunnam as a grizzled, broken ex-cop and Mel Gibson as a flamboyant British alcoholic? That probably tells you all you need to know. I found it (mostly) delightful.

Review by Manu ★★★

You are always going to have a fun time with Charlie Hunnam.

Review by Cathal ★★½

I quite liked this for the most part. I thought Gibson was pretty funny and Hunnam suited the role pretty well. Story was more interesting than I was expecting. I felt it lost me towards the end but definitely better than I was expecting and I’m glad I watched it.

Review by Toastshake ★★★½

A self-referential whodunit comedy about the rich and the famous. Last Looks provides a glimpse into the inner workings of Hollywood that gives it a much-needed verisimilitude as its dialogue is very tongue-in-cheek and sardonic. Shining a lamplight on the various issues that goes down in the Hollywood industry with scathing social commentary on how any publicity is good publicity.

And this lifestyle is contrasted with our lead protagonist, Charlie Waldo, played by Charlie Hunnam. He plays a former LAPD officer that forced himself into self-exile to live in the countryside as a minimalist. He plays an interesting character that likes to live a simple life by adhering to keeping only one-hundred items. A slubby and rusty private eye. One…

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Review: ‘Last Looks’ is a modern mystery noir that could be worth a sequel

Tim Kirkby’s Last Looks has been a long time coming. The literary adaptation was first announced in 2018, and shot the following summer, but it’s only now getting a theatrical and on-demand release.

The burning question is whether or not the twisting modern-day noir is worth the wait, and the answer will largely depend on your tolerance for wisecracking mystery thrillers that weave a labyrinthine web of double-crosses and revelations, and whether or not you can handle the controversial Mel Gibson having an absolute blast in a scenery-chewing supporting role.

Things start off as eccentrically as they mean to continue, introducing us to Charlie Hunnam’s former cop and current private investigator Charlie Waldo, who lives a ramshackle existence off the beaten track, a lifestyle that dictates he’s only allowed to own 100 things at any given time. Why? It doesn’t really matter, even if it’s regularly brought up as one of the character’s unique foibles, but it makes for a fun recurring gag.

Morena Baccarin shows up on the scene as old flame Lorena Nascimento, who tries to enlist Waldo’s help in her current and most pressing case. Famed British thespian and current star of popular TV show Johnnie’s Bench Alistair Pinch (as played by Gibson) has been accused of murdering his wife, which sets off a chain of events that threatens to become nonsensically convoluted in double-quick time.

Lorena almost instantly disappears and is presumed dead, while Rupert Friend’s network executive Wilson Sikorsky frets about production being ground to a potential halt by a murder charge hanging over the head of his biggest draw. On top of that, Waldo has to deal with the former law enforcement colleagues that hate his guts, Dominic Monaghan’s rival P.I. with ulterior motives, Jacob Scipio’s quirky gangster Dom Q, Method Man’s hip-hop star Swag Dogggg, Clancy Brown’s questionably-motivated chief of police, and Lucy Fry’s not-as-innocent-as-she-looks schoolteacher Jayne White.

It goes without saying that there’s always an awful lot going on in Last Looks , which can often be to the detriment of the movie itself when the various threads become tangled to the point you begin to think they may never unravel satisfactorily. It does eventually click, though, to become the sort of sun-baked Los Angeles crime caper that was all the rage in the 1990s once Quentin Tarantino had laid out the new blueprint for American independent cinema.

That’s not a knock on the film at all, which is helped immensely by Hunnam’s lead performance. The former Sons of Anarchy star is a much better actor than he often gets credit for, and he’s clearly invested in Last Looks given that he’s also listed as one of the producers.

He never treats the idiosyncratic material too seriously, nor does he allow his work to devolve too far into the farcical, which is just as well because Gibson and Scipio in particular have that beat well covered. Waldo gives off the air of a man that’s resigned himself to doing the right thing, simply because it’s the right thing to do, even if it’s obvious that he’d rather not get involved at all.

Last Looks is undoubtedly formulaic, almost to a fault, but there’s a propulsive sense of energy that positions it as a cut above the dozens upon dozens of similar titles that feature meandering voiceovers, an ensemble of character actors painting archetypal figures in broad strokes, and a mandated plot twist that occurs what feels like every ten minutes.

Waldo’s commitment to his newfound existence sees him wearily hop on a bicycle to criss-cross his way around L.A., and he finds himself caught up in all of the shenanigans you’d expect. The missing and presumed dead ex-lover, a dalliance with a woman tied directly to his case, the arrogant suit-clad Hollywood players, wealthy benefactors hiding secrets, a suspect destined for the slammer with the evidence pointing overwhelmingly against them, several beatings at the hands of his enemies, and knocking back bourbon in smoky dive bars are all present and accounted for, but Last Looks positively revels in being almost exactly what you want, hope, and expect it to be.

Regardless of how you feel about Gibson on a personal level, he’s an over-the-top hoot as Pinch. Adopting the hammiest accent you’re likely to hear all year, the grizzled veteran fully commits to the material by stopping just a millimeter or two short of winking directly at the audience, and he bounces off Hunnam fantastically as their polar opposite personalities eventually dovetail in pursuit of the same goal.

Having both he and Hunnam play so steadfastly against type does help create an air of unpredictability as to where Last Looks is ultimately heading, even if the machinations are eventually revealed via the tried and trusted method of having the lead spew a lengthy monologue to the perpetrator, tying everything back to the various hints and clues to have been dropped throughout the running time.

Again, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because Last Looks never sets out a stall to reinvent the wheel, even in the slightest. The tropes and trappings are incredibly familiar, but there’s such an infectious sense of upbeat and irreverent energy to everything that happens you can’t help but let it slide.

Below the Line , the second installment in Gould’s Charlie Waldo series, was published in August of 2019. There’s no guarantees it’ll happen, but we definitely wouldn’t be against the idea of seeing Hunnam reprise the role at least one more time based on what Last Looks brings to the table.

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‘Last Looks’ Ending, Explained – Who Murdered Monica Pinch?

Last Looks (also titled Waldo) is a Hollywood noir thriller based on the novel written by Howard Michael Gould. The film, directed by Tim Kirkby, follows an ex-LAPD detective, Charlie Waldo, who returns to Hollywood Land to investigate the murder of Monica, the wife of a famous television actor, Alastair Pinch. The light-hearted comedy subtly explores the dark side of the glamorous industry where everything happens for a greedy reason. But will our protagonist be able to unravel the motives of hounds who hide themselves in expensive suits? Will he be able to look beyond the glossy lives of Hollywood stars?

‘Last Looks’ Plot Summary

11 years ago, LAPD detective Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam) arrested a kid, Lydell Lipps, in a homicide. Two years later, he discovered that Lydell Lipps was innocent and that his partner, 7-Eleven, had framed him in a personal vendetta. Charlie, who arrested Lydell Lipps, tried to prove his innocence. But he soon realized that the system was designed to put a guilty man in and not take an innocent man out of prison. In frustration, Charlie left the LAPD and gave interviews to almost anyone who was willing to hear them. His actions flamed his relationship with the system, but Charlie didn’t care. He left Hollywood land and settled in the woods with 100 possessions to his name.

Last Looks begins as Charlie’s ex-girlfriend, Lorena Nascimento (Morena Baccarin), pays him a visit and offers him a job. A Hollywood studio, Black Bear, wants to hire Charlie as a private investigator to investigate the murder of Monica, the wife of Alastair Pinch. Alastair, who is suspected of murdering his wife, stars in Black Bear’s most grossing television drama, Johnnie’s Bench. The studio cannot afford to lose their star actor and thus is paying for a high-profile lawyer along with a famous private detective like Charlie, who is passionate about finding the truth.

However, Charlie refuses to take the job because he desires neither fame nor name. Lorena leaves Charlie’s trailer, requesting him to consider the offer.

A few days later, a cop arrives at Charlie’s place and informs him that Lorena has gone missing. She has stolen something of interest from her boss, Don Queue, a cartel lord. Don Q suspects that Lorena dropped his “mem” with Charlie and thus tries to threaten him. At night, a group of punks attack Charlie in his trailer and warn him to stay out of Pinch’s case. When Charlie informs them that he hasn’t accepted the job yet, the punks show him the newspaper report that claims that Charlie Waldo is investigating the murder of Monica Pinch.

When Charlie fails to contact Lorena, he decides to meet with the head of the Black Bear Studio, Wilson Sikorsky (Rupert Friend), in LA. But before Charlie can refuse the job, Wilson convinces him to take the case, and Charlie becomes a private eye for Alastair Pinch.

What Happened To Monica Pinch?

While everyone suspected Alastair for the murder of his wife, Charlie intuitively believed that there was more to the mystery than what meets the eye. Charlie started his investigation from the crime scene i.e. Alastair’s house where Monica was murdered.

Alastair told Charlie that dreadful Saturday, he woke up wasted with no recollection of what happened the previous night. In a state of hangover, he entered the living room and found Monica lying unconscious with an injury on her head. He found shattered piece of vase near her body which the detectives believed was used to murder Monica.

The forensic doctor, Freddie, told Charlie Monica died from a cerebral hemorrhage. Charlie was certain that an earth vase could create such an impact. While in conversation with his ex-accomplices, Charlie figured out that the killer was a strong lefty, not a drunken righty like Alastair. And Monica was probably hit with a Regis Award trophy that Alastair received in England. Unfortunately, the murder weapon was missing, and that complicated the case.

What Was Jayne Hiding?

While investigating the background of Monica and Alastair, Charlie met a spirited kindergarten teacher, Jayne White (Lucy Fry), who used to teach Pinch’s daughter, Gabby. Jayne was extremely thrilled to meet controversial ex-cop Charlie and wanted to know all about his past life. Curiosity soon turned into a passionate romance until Charlie found a secret about Jayne.

The moment Charlie stepped into Alastair’s house, he suspected that the furniture had been rearranged or moved for some reason. The night table that belonged to the living room was swapped with the one in the bedroom and vice versa. On further investigation, Charlie found a burner phone hidden inside the night table in Alastair’s room.

Alastair used the cellphone to contact Jayne because he was having an affair with her. But Jayne confessed to Charlie that Alastair wasn’t the only kindergarten dad with whom she got involved. Jayne, a young blood who came to Hollywood looking for a rush and a thrill, had no intention of becoming a teacher. When famous dads like Darius Jamshidi and Swag Dogggg showed an interest in her, Jayne used the opportunity.

So Charlie finally figured out that all those people thrashing him in his trailer and trying to stop him from investigating Monica’s murder case, didn’t want Charlie to find out about kindergarten dads and their affair with Jayne White. Hence, when Charlie unraveled Jayne’s secret, she disappeared from the scene with Alastair’s unborn child.

Who Murdered Monica Pinch?

Monica found out that Jayne was pregnant with Alastair’s child. Hence, on the night of her murder, she texted Jayne using Alastair’s burner phone and called her to the house. Soon, Jayne thought that Alastair wanted to talk about their future, but soon her dreams were shattered. Monica confronted Jayne and blamed the glamorous city of L.A. for ruining her married life. However, according to Jayne, Monica turned violent and so she drove away. So, who killed Monica?

Monica wanted to return to England with Alastair and Gabby, which meant that Alastair would leave the show as well. For Black Bear Studios, Johnnie’s Bench was the only show that brought in income. If the show had been closed, Wilson Sikorsky would have become financially bankrupt. He would have had to sell his studio to Darius Jamshidi. Wilson was also having an affair with Monica, and thus, to save himself from bankruptcy and scandal, he killed Monica in anger.

Sikorsky’s show got a lot of free publicity after Monica’s death. He decided to reap the benefits and hired controversial Charlie and popular Fontella Davis to handle Alastair’s case. No one believed that Charlie would solve the case, but fortunately he did.

Charlie was threatened by a lawyer named Warren Gomes, hired by Darius Jamshidi. Warren found out about Wilson Sikorsky’s affair with Monica Pinch and started blackmailing him. To shut Warren’s mouth, Sikorsky bribed him with his Gadokey skeleton watch. But when Warren asked for more, Sikorsky killed him.

‘Last Looks’ Ending, Explained

At the end of Last Looks , Charlie confronted Sikorsky with the truth. The two men played football while exchanging facts. During the exchange, Charlie revealed that he was 98 percent sure that Sikorsky attacked Monica with the Regis trophy, but he just wanted to make sure that Sikorsky was lefty. The autopsy report confirmed that a strong lefty attacked Monica that night, and this evidence was enough to arrest Sikorsky. However, before the cops could arrive, Sikorsky ran away from his office.

Last Looks refers to the cast’s final touch-ups before the filming shot. Hence, being true to its title, the final battle took place on the sets of Johnnie’s Bench, where Sikorsky tried to smash Charlie’s head with a production light. But thankfully, Don Q saved Charlie’s life and shot Sikorsky.

Don Q saved Charlie because he wanted back the memory stick that Lorena stole from him. He revealed that a memory stick contained a poem that Don Q wrote for his daughter, Elsie, to save her from the world of crime. Charlie promised to return the memory drive on the condition that Don Q would allow Lorena to come back to the city. Don Q wanted Charlie to arrange a seat at a private school for Elsie. Well, Charlie had one school in mind, and with Alastair on his side, it was easy for Charlie to get Elsie a proper education.

Hence, in the end, Alastair left alcohol and became sober for his daughter, while Lorena returned to Hollywood and was reunited with Charlie. The two romantics chased their “unfinished business” and sparked their relationship again.

Last Looks (or Waldo) is a 2021 crime thriller film directed by Tim Kirkby.

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Last Looks Movie

A disgraced ex-cop seeks solace by moving to the woods, but his quiet life comes to an end when a private eye recruits him to investigate a murder.

Who's Involved:

Charlie Hunnam, Mel Gibson, Clancy Brown, Jacob Scipio, Dominic Monaghan, Eiza González, Andrew Lazar, Christina Weiss Lurie, Howard Michael Gould, Tim Kirkby, Steve Shainberg

Release Date:

Friday, February 4, 2022 Limited

Plot: What's the story about?

Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam) is an ex-LAPD superstar who left the force and now lives a life of simplicity and solitude deep in the woods. Alistair Pinch (Mel Gibson) is an eccentric actor who spends his days drunk on the set of his TV show. When Pinch’s wife is found dead, he is the prime suspect and Waldo is convinced to come out of retirement to investigate what happened. The case finds Waldo contending with gangsters, Hollywood executives and pre-school teachers, all in pursuit of clearing Pinch’s name … or confirming his guilt.

official plot version

3.50 / 5 stars ( 6 users)

Poll: Will you see Last Looks?

Who stars in Last Looks: Cast List

Monster Summer, Boneyard  

Charlie Hunnam

Crimson Peak, Triple Frontier  

Eiza González

In the Grey, Baby Driver  

Jacob Scipio

Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Bad Boys for Life  

Clancy Brown

The Penguin (series), The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants  

Dominic Monaghan

Pet, X-Men Origins: Wolverine  

Who's making Last Looks: Crew List

A look at the Last Looks behind-the-scenes crew and production team. The film's director Tim Kirkby last directed Action Point . The film's writer Howard Michael Gould last wrote The Six Wives of Henry Lefay .

Screenwriter

Howard Michael Gould

Production Companies

Watch last looks trailers & videos.

Official Trailer

Production: what we know about last looks.

• Based on the novel Last Looks by Howard Gould.

Filming Timeline

RLJE Films has acquired North American rights and is planning a February release day-and-date in theaters and on VOD.

Filming this summer.

• 2018 - November : The film was set to Development  status.

Filming is set to commence in the first quarter of 2019.

Last Looks Release Date: When was the film released?

Last Looks was a Limited release in 2022 on Friday, February 4, 2022 . There were 13 other movies released on the same date, including Moonfall , Jackass Forever and The Wolf and the Lion . As a Limited release, Last Looks will only be shown in select movie theaters across major markets. Please check Fandango and Atom Tickets to see if the film is playing in your area.

Last Looks DVD & Blu-ray Release Date: When was the film released?

Last Looks was released on DVD & Blu-ray on Tuesday, April 12 , 2022 .

Q&A Asked about Last Looks

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• A disgraced ex-cop seeks solace by moving to the woods, but his quiet life comes to an end when a private eye recruits him to investigate a murder.
• Once LAPD's top detective, Charlie Waldo has dropped out of society. He lives in a tiny hilltop cabin above the city and obsessively possesses only 100 things. He also minimizes his carbon footprint. He rides a bicycle and in three years has grown a large, scruffy beard. Into this new world comes his former lover, private investigator Lorena, to ask for his help investigating a high-profile murder: TV actor Alastair Pinch stands accused of murdering his wife Monica, but he was drunk and remembers nothing. — Kirkus reviews
• 11 years ago, LAPD detective Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam) arrested a kid, Lydell Lipps, in a homicide. Two years later, he discovered that Lydell Lipps was innocent and that his partner, 7-Eleven, had framed him in a personal vendetta. Charlie, who arrested Lydell Lipps, tried to prove his innocence. But he soon realized that the system was designed to put a guilty man in and not take an innocent man out of prison. In frustration, Charlie left the LAPD and gave interviews to almost anyone who was willing to hear them. His actions flamed his relationship with the system, but Charlie didn't care. He left Hollywood land and settled in the woods with 100 possessions to his name. Last Looks begins as Charlie's ex-girlfriend, Lorena Nascimento (Morena Baccarin), pays him a visit and offers him a job. A Hollywood studio, Black Bear, wants to hire Charlie as a private investigator to investigate the murder of Monica, the wife of Alastair Pinch. Alastair, who is suspected of murdering his wife, stars in Black Bear's most grossing television drama, Johnnie's Bench. The studio cannot afford to lose their star actor and thus is paying for a high-profile lawyer along with a famous private detective like Charlie, who is passionate about finding the truth. However, Charlie refuses to take the job because he desires neither fame nor name. Lorena leaves Charlie's trailer, requesting him to consider the offer. A few days later, a cop arrives at Charlie's place and informs him that Lorena has gone missing. She has stolen something of interest from her boss, Don Queue, a cartel lord. Don Q suspects that Lorena dropped his "mem" with Charlie and thus tries to threaten him. At night, a group of punks attack Charlie in his trailer and warn him to stay out of Pinch's case. When Charlie informs them that he hasn't accepted the job yet, the punks show him the newspaper report that claims that Charlie Waldo is investigating the murder of Monica Pinch. When Charlie fails to contact Lorena, he decides to meet with the head of the Black Bear Studio, Wilson Sikorsky (Rupert Friend), in LA. But before Charlie can refuse the job, Wilson convinces him to take the case, and Charlie becomes a private eye for Alastair Pinch. While everyone suspected Alastair for the murder of his wife, Charlie intuitively believed that there was more to the mystery than what meets the eye. Charlie started his investigation from the crime scene i.e. Alastair's house where Monica was murdered. Alastair told Charlie that dreadful Saturday, he woke up wasted with no recollection of what happened the previous night. In a state of hangover, he entered the living room and found Monica lying unconscious with an injury on her head. He found shattered piece of vase near her body which the detectives believed was used to murder Monica. The forensic doctor, Freddie, told Charlie Monica died from a cerebral hemorrhage. Charlie was certain that an earth vase could not create such an impact. While in conversation with his ex-accomplices, Charlie figured out that the killer was a strong lefty, not a drunken righty like Alastair. And Monica was probably hit with a Regis Award trophy that Alastair received in England. Unfortunately, the murder weapon was missing, and that complicated the case. While investigating the background of Monica and Alastair, Charlie met a spirited kindergarten teacher, Jayne White (Lucy Fry), who used to teach Pinch's daughter, Gabby. Jayne was extremely thrilled to meet controversial ex-cop Charlie and wanted to know all about his past life. Curiosity soon turned into a passionate romance until Charlie found a secret about Jayne. The moment Charlie stepped into Alastair's house, he suspected that the furniture had been rearranged or moved for some reason. The night table that belonged to the living room was swapped with the one in the bedroom and vice versa. On further investigation, Charlie found a burner phone hidden inside the night table in Alastair's room. Alastair used the cellphone to contact Jayne because he was having an affair with her. But Jayne confessed to Charlie that Alastair wasn't the only kindergarten dad with whom she got involved. Jayne, a young blood who came to Hollywood looking for a rush and a thrill, had no intention of becoming a teacher. When famous dads like Darius Jamshidi and Swag Dogggg showed an interest in her, Jayne used the opportunity. So Charlie finally figured out that all those people thrashing him in his trailer and trying to stop him from investigating Monica's murder case, didn't want Charlie to find out about kindergarten dads and their affair with Jayne White. Hence, when Charlie unraveled Jayne's secret, she disappeared from the scene with Alastair's unborn child. Monica found out that Jayne was pregnant with Alastair's child. Hence, on the night of her murder, she texted Jayne using Alastair's burner phone and called her to the house. Soon, Jayne thought that Alastair wanted to talk about their future, but soon her dreams were shattered. Monica confronted Jayne and blamed the glamorous city of L.A. for ruining her married life. However, according to Jayne, Monica turned violent and so she drove away. Monica wanted to return to England with Alastair and Gabby, which meant that Alastair would leave the show as well. For Black Bear Studios, Johnnie's Bench was the only show that brought in income. If the show had been closed, Wilson Sikorsky would have become financially bankrupt. He would have had to sell his studio to Darius Jamshidi. Wilson was also having an affair with Monica, and thus, to save himself from bankruptcy and scandal, he killed Monica in anger. Sikorsky's show got a lot of free publicity after Monica's death. He decided to reap the benefits and hired controversial Charlie and popular Fontella Davis to handle Alastair's case. No one believed that Charlie would solve the case, but fortunately he did. Charlie was threatened by a lawyer named Warren Gomes, hired by Darius Jamshidi. Warren found out about Wilson Sikorsky's affair with Monica Pinch and started blackmailing him. To shut Warren's mouth, Sikorsky bribed him with his Gadokey skeleton watch. But when Warren asked for more, Sikorsky killed him. At the end of Last Looks, Charlie confronted Sikorsky with the truth. The two men played football while exchanging facts. During the exchange, Charlie revealed that he was 98 percent sure that Sikorsky attacked Monica with the Regis trophy, but he just wanted to make sure that Sikorsky was lefty. The autopsy report confirmed that a strong lefty attacked Monica that night, and this evidence was enough to arrest Sikorsky. However, after entering the cop's car, Sikorsky cunningly gives cops the slip, and gets away driving the cop car. Charlies gives chase on his bike and finally confronts Sikorsky in the sets of Johnnie's Bench, where Sikorsky tried to smash Charlie's head with a production light. But thankfully, Don Q saved Charlie's life and shot Sikorsky. Don Q saved Charlie because he wanted back the memory stick that Lorena stole from him. He revealed that a memory stick contained a poem that Don Q wrote for his daughter, Elsie, to save her from the world of crime. Charlie promised to return the memory drive on the condition that Don Q would allow Lorena to come back to the city. Don Q wanted Charlie to arrange a seat at a private school for Elsie. Well, Charlie had one school in mind, and with Alastair on his side, it was easy for Charlie to get Elsie a proper education. Hence, in the end, Alastair left alcohol and became sober for his daughter, while Lorena returned to Hollywood and was reunited with Charlie. The two romantics chased their "unfinished business" and sparked their relationship again. (thanks to dmtalkies)

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If the breathy Marilyn voice and constant, nervous verbal diarrhea wear thin at times, Anderson’s transformative performance is undeniably affecting...

Full Review | Sep 10, 2024

From its uniquely female lens, the film captures the gradual acceptance of a fading spotlight with a graceful authenticity that really hits home.

The Last Showgirl should have been the perfect union of subject and subject matter, something truly wrenching or revelatory, but there’s little here beyond the attention-grabbing hook and what amounts to stunt casting.

Pamela Anderson definitely deserves more respect in her field, especially after everything she’s been through, and she is no doubt fighting for it here as she gives the best performance of her career.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 10, 2024

Anderson gives a vulnerable, spirited performance that never loses its sparkle. She understands her character, from Shelly’s steadfast principles to her intense frustrations with an increasingly ageist and sexist industry.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Sep 10, 2024

A triumphant proclamation that no matter how faded your sequins or dull your rhinestones, no one can take away or diminish a loving heart, particularly when one has the strength to turn it inwards.

Full Review | Original Score: A | Sep 9, 2024

If the mother-daughter stuff is derivative, it’s not manipulative; shot in grainy, sun-saturated handheld, with lens flare blowing out the sandy desert hues, it’s dreamy and low-key to a fault...

Full Review | Sep 9, 2024

[The Last Showgirl] falls a bit short, but Anderson delivers.

Anderson is the reason to watch “The Last Showgirl.” Her breathy and high-pitched performance is a daring addition to the Vegas-set movies of yesteryear.

Pamela Anderson lends a real humanity and glowing optimism to Shelley.

The Last Showgirl delivers a superb launching pad for an actress in a new era of her career.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Sep 8, 2024

The final word must go to the director – in an unusually crowded field, she has released the best Coppola film of the past 13 months.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 8, 2024

“The Last Showgirl” is a film about beauty and truth and love. It broke my heart as much as it uplifted it.

Full Review | Sep 8, 2024

The Last Showgirl is an unflinching character study with an exciting lead performance from Pamela Anderson, gorgeous cinematography, and perfect soundtrack choices.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Sep 8, 2024

Anderson sinks her teeth into Coppola’s creation, showcasing immense vulnerability, whilst maintaining a sense of camp likeability that has so often linked it herself to her career.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Sep 8, 2024

A forgettable, empty trifle at just 85 minutes, failing to give us enough of anything and certainly, sadly, failing to prove Anderson’s mettle as a dramatic actor.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Sep 7, 2024

A shallow and slender tale of lousy dreams, worse decisions, and painful regrets, all of it predicated on a lead turn that’s too one-note to wow.

Full Review | Sep 7, 2024

Coppola is less interested in the glittering lights of the city than in letting the camera stay on Anderson’s face––a mix of heart-tugging optimism and deep pain.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Sep 7, 2024

Having spent three decades cast as eye candy and ditzy blondes, there is no question that this is the most demanding, layered role of Anderson’s career. It’s also one that she lands spectacularly.

With stunning performances, perfect needle drops, and thoughtful, loving direction, The Last Showgirl is a stylish, emotional, and visually striking work, and a worthy exploration of its impossible protagonist.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Sep 7, 2024