The Last Lullaby (2008) User Reviews

The Witch-Hunt has been called off.... very, very mild spoilers.. don't worry on that front..

[witster18 · 7/10 · 12 October 2011]

I rented this because I like to find hidden gems at the video store and add them to my, "Jeremy's B-Movie Marathon lists", if they deserve it.

After renting this I went home and looked it up on IMDb to see if I might have wasted my time. The film only scored 5.8, but 23 of the 24 reviews were EXTREMELY positive write-ups. I didn't think that scenario made much sense so I looked a bit further into the reviewers. It turned out that 22 of the 24 reviews were written by user-id's that HAD NOT reviewed ANY other movies. This sent out red flags.

I plopped the DVD into the player anticipating that I would be on here trying to finger-out the misleading-multi-id movie pusher.

I was wrong.

The movie was good.

There will be no witch-hunt today.

So here I am writing a review that I didn't expect to write.

The Last Lullaby is a realistically paced noir piece about a retired hit-man, and a wealthy heiress in a dangerous legal battle. Tom Sizemore's performance isn't polarizing or Oscar material, BUT it is a return to form, and he was much better than I thought he would be. Sasha Alexander is also good here.

The interaction between the two leads and the gritty realism are the strengths of the movie. That, along with the pacing of the film, reminds me of "The Lookout" starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, "Killshot"(also with Levitt) or "American Gun" starring James Coburn. Films that are too realistically paced and themed thriller's to gather mass appeal, but are quality works of art none-the-less. The standard for which is the early DePalma films, or Gus Van Sant's "Elephant".

I would like to compare this film to "The River Murders" because I saw that earlier this week. Both films star washed-up actors(well, Liotta and Sizemore anyway) in thrillers that went straight to video, but the films are light years apart in terms of quality. I'm amazed to see the two films ranked so close here on IMDB(TRM=5.2, TLL-5.8). "The River Murders" is a predictable and poorly acted piece of crapola, whereas "The Last Lullaby" is a solid thriller that IS going onto my latest, third installment of the "B-Movie Marathon". "The Last Lullaby" is a solid thriller, and an amazing directorial debut for Jeffrey Goodman. That is probably the only thing about this movie that truly blew me away. Goodman is someone movie fans should keep an eye on. Sizemore and Alexander here can act circles around Liotta and Fraga(awful!), and those films should be at least two full points apart.

It's well worth your 2-3 bucks at the redbox or video store. I highly recommend the latter because you have a bigger selection, more flexibility on return times(especially if you get to know a hometown video store owner), and you have that physical aspect of having more than one copy of new releases and being able to pick up the box). Plus, your debit card doesn't just get charged day after day automatically like some money-monster from movie hell. There are many other advantages, but I'll save the rest of that speech for another time. Support you local video store owners.

66/100

You'll like this if you liked: Killshot(not quite as good as this), American Gun(not as good as this), The Lookout(Better than this), That Evening Sun(not as good as this), or Fargo(clearly better than this).

Sizemore and Alexander make the plot holes tolerable

[bob_meg · 7/10 · 23 September 2011]

"The Last Lullaby" opens with a wonderful shot of the always captivating Tom Sizemore looking even MORE intriguing than usual: staring up at a ceiling fan in an eerily lit bedroom in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. So, he does what he usually does when this happens: gets in his car and trolls the local convenience store.

And this is where the film really lost me: he encounters a group of dim-witted thugs virtually broadcasting the fact that they're holding a girl hostage nearby. Sizemore, being the proverbial hit man in "retirement," naturally follows them to check it out. I know that it's sometimes hard to make every event in a script seem plausible or organic, but if you're going to toss the audience a whopper like this one, save it for the last reel. This development really sabotaged the film for me. If it didn't for you, I envy you.

Seriously...there's a lot of great stuff here. Yes, the basic plot has been done to death, but seldom with the realism and warmth of the performances given by Sizemore and Sasha Alexander, who plays the woman he's hired to kill. I hesitate to reveal more of the plot because this film needs all the surprises it can spring on you.

The plot is the biggest boner here, and not just at the start. As Sizemore gets closer to Alexander, of course he begins to develop an attachment to her. This leads us into some situations that are so over-the-top and obvious, there's no way Alexander could not suspect his true motives. This is "explained" later on in the film, but to ill effect.

I really wanted to like this film more because, overall, the acting is exemplary...I just wished the script had given the actors more to hang their hats on. Most of it you can see coming a mile away.

The title says more about the actor's Career

[abwetman-1-817328 · 5/10 · 23 January 2022]

This is standard B film with no surprises and very low budget. It is just a good time filler. You will forget it 10 seconds after you finish stream it but it a decent performance by Sizemore. Most are TV movie veterans. Just enjoy.

You have a choice, do your job or forfeit $1,000,000.

[TxMike · 5 August 2021]

I came across this movie on Amazon streaming, their listing says it is a 2021 movie. I thought "cool, a brand new Tom Sizemore movie." I don't know why they do that because it clearly is a 2008 movie. Still I found it to be an interesting viewing.

Sizemore is a retired hit man, by what we witness a very good one. By chance he witnesses a young lady being hassled by an ex boyfriend in a nightclub parking lot at night. He takes appropriate action, brings the lady to safety. However that gets the attention of the man who wants a job done, a hit on a lady and it will be worth $1,000,000. He takes it somewhat reluctantly.

Then something happens, he gets to know the lady, finds out she is a decent person, learns her backstory, and at some point decides he must reverse the hit. The people who hired him are the real bad guys.

Sizemore is good as he usually is. The story is well written and there is some pleasure in seeing the bad guys get what is coming to them.

I found it enjoyable enough

[scott-logan-197-874075 · 6/10 · 2 August 2021]

It's listed as released in 2021 on Amazon Prime. Had I known it was actually released in 2008 I would have skipped it ...that would have been a mistake. It's a good movie. I think it's slow, plodding, and even predictable in places nevertheless I couldn't stop watching and found it above average enjoyable. Very decent movie.

Friends wrote the 10s...

[skepticskeptical · 6/10 · 3 July 2021]

Looking over the array of "10" reviews claiming that The Last Lullaby is a masterpiece, all of which were written back in 2008, when this movie was released, I can only conclude that the director's friends all decided to pitch in to make his first feature a success.

Alas, in the end, the truth comes out, and in this case it is that The Last Lullaby is replete with plot holes and ridiculousness. I note that the director has no other films to his name twelve years later. QED.

Critique for "The Last Lullaby

[labiche32 · 6/10 · 10 February 2011]

I am a student at Ecole Classique. My name is Jeremy L.

The story is about a retired hit-man named Price, Tom Sizemore, who has a bit of an insomnia problem. He stumbles upon a hostage situation while out driving one night. He rescues the girl but only to get a ransom for her.

Six months later, he is called out of retirement to do a hit by an old man. The person he is asked to subdue is a beautiful woman named Sarah, Sarah Alexander, that Price has come to like ever since he started interacting with her. The newly activated hit-man has to chose between having something he's never had before or not have that for the sake of his profession.

This movie has very interesting twists and to the point action; that will take you on a journey like never before. You'll never believe how close you are to the edge of your seat by the end of this film.

Big Plot Holes Sink Stylish Thriller

[lavatch · 5/10 · 1 August 2021]

The slow pacing wasn't so much the problem with "The Last Lullaby." Rather, it was the implausibility on multiple levels that left this viewer scratching his head.

There was some good chemistry between the two principal characters, the hit man named Price and Sarah, whom he has been hired to kill for a cool $1 million. But it turns out that Price has a soft spot in his heart, takes pity on Sarah, and then begins to grow attached to her emotionally.

Sarah was a mild-mannered librarian who apparently led a tormented life following the murder of her mother by her father. Now, two decades later, Sarah is planning to testify and present evidence against her father.

It was a big stretch that the father, Mr. Lennox, would spend a million to murder his daughter when the money would have bought him a dream team of attorneys. And it was beyond the pale that he would order the execution of his second daughter as well.

The film was well-photographed with interesting locations and atmosphere. But it never fully gelled in the character interactions and the plausibility of such a far-fetched last lullaby.

Wow!! A beautifully crafted film full of twists and turns.

[peter-mccormick · 10/10 · 30 March 2008]

The movie was enthralling at every twist and turn and despite the topic, that of a retiring hit man, it turns into a psychological perspective on being alone and making things right in a world that has gone wrong.

The chemistry between the actors is palpable, despite both characters being introverts, and is a testament to the talent of Alexander and Sizemore, as well as the writer and director.

The pacing and sound of the film hold you throughout and Goodman's approach is a breath of fresh air in a craft so often overly commercialized and mass produced.

It is like eating artisan baked bread without any preservatives versus a baguette that rolls off an assembly line. It is fresh, organic, and real.

Good Acting Covering for Weaker Plot with Holes

[kdspringer-72759 · 6/10 · 23 August 2021]

Don't worry - no serious spoilers here. But better safe than sorry, right?

So it's another hitman film. But since it's from 2008, it was actually made before the recent spate of hitman films. The story has a few twists and turns, but the basic elements of the hitman-goes-straight cliche are all there.

Where the movie shines is in the fine acting all around. Tom Sizemore's personal demons aside, he always has been, and remains, a very fine actor. What his career might have been! And he is very good here. Sasha Alexander also does a fine job, and is very easy on the eyes, too. Supporting actors are outstanding, especially the underrated Jerry Hardin and Bill Smitrovich.

The directing and cinematography are efficient and more than competent. I wonder what ever happened to Mr. Goodman, as he does a fine job here, but it appears to be the last of only two films he ever directed, and nothing since 2008.

Where things fall apart are in the plot. Too many unbelievable elements, starting principally with Ms. Alexander's character.

No woman - and I mean NO woman - as drop-dead gorgeous, classy, intelligent and decent as her character, would be alone and lonely unless that is exactly what she wanted. In which case, the over-the-top way she just invites Tom Sizemore's stranger character into her life at the drop of a hat just does not ring true at all. It just wasn't at all believable to me. If she wasn't so gorgeous, or if she was nasty, or a drunk, or self-loathing, or dimwitted then **maybe ** I could buy it. But this woman was darn near perfect and would have had her pick of the litter years before Tom Sizemore's character ever showed up.

There were other unbelievable plot elements, such as the opening sequence, and a few threads were left untied. Not the worst story ever by any means, but not good enough for the acting to bring this above six stars for me.

Slow but boring

[albrechtcm · 4/10 · 20 January 2012]

When a jaded hit-man takes a contract to kill a beautiful woman, even the most innocent viewer can see where this is going. The twist in this film is that Tom Sizemore isn't his usual sleazy self. Almost, but not quite. Although the performances are all well done, the scenario is so contrived and implausible that it's difficult to watch it unfold. And talk about rule-breakers! When the woman early on shows us what a dead shot she is, you just know she's going to have to put that skill to good use later on...but it never happens. It's also hard to believe the beautiful woman could wander around for a day or two completely unaware of a man intently watching her every move. Come on! Women have a built-in radar for that sort of stuff. Even the ending was unsatisfying as well as unbelievable.

A great suspense story of a hit man whose target is someone to whom he is attracted.

[sunflowerriver · 10/10 · 30 March 2008]

Does he kill her or does he not? The Last Lullaby from first time feature film director Jeffrey Goodman holds you in suspense in the plot-driven film that has enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. His casting is brilliant as Tom Sizemore's intensity and inner conflicts are so realistic that somehow the viewer finds himself pulling for this hit man. Sizemore's intensity contrasts perfectly with Sasha Alexander's vulnerability. His character Price has been hired to kill her, but how can you kill someone who has been a victim for so long? Goodman's treatment of the narrative by Max Alan Collins and Peter Biegen employs a brilliant combination of non-graphic violence against a pastoral, yet frequently menacing backdrop. His gorgeous panoramic shots contrasted with extreme close-ups is unusual in a film with this size budget. His deliberately slow pace enhances the suspense and is a much needed respite from the noisy,frenetic world in which most of us live. His audio is at the proper decibel level, and his choice and use of music is the best that I have witnessed in any recent film.

I predict great things for this talented director.

Bailed on it 30 mins in.

[sgimera-34917 · 4/10 · 27 November 2021]

Tried it, but it was just way too slow and boring. Gave 30 mins and nothing developed so I wasn't wasting another hour hoping the story picked up. There's a scene at the beginning where the main character closes his eyes for a second as if he's about to fall asleep, perhaps this was a clue?

provocative and thrilling mystery

[ddeupreeiii · 10/10 · 30 March 2008]

The Last Lullabye was a very provocative and thrilling film. The actors, Tom Sizemore and Sasha Alexander, were well cast and captured the story lines in every detail. It was a fast moving plot. The cinematography was realistic without being too graphic. The young director, Jeffrey Goodman, is one to watch for future projects. Director Goodman's attention to detail and ability to translate the plot made for a very intensely interesting picture. The music chosen heightened the dramatic effect of the film capturing the intensity of the plot. The Last Lullabye should be a "must see" picture for mystery film enthusiasts.

so so chemistry , dialogues,filming,editing in this film noir style

[surfisfun · 5/10 · 7 August 2018]

Don't read about it before viewing. Not outstanding. not a great script. was disappointed due to over inflated reviews, good for rainy day. o well.

Wonderfully taut thriller

[Judy-324 · 10/10 · 30 March 2008]

It's hard to believe this is a first-time feature effort for director Jeffrey Goodman. It passed my ultimate movie test: I was never bored for a moment, nor did my attention waver. The spare dialog, the juxtaposition of the loud, jarring gunshots with the quiet pace of the movie, the inexorable drawing-together of Price and Sarah, were woven together beautifully to create a memorable movie. Tom Sizemore says volumes without saying a word. His tortured face and body language say it all. The fact that this is something of a comeback film for the brilliant Mr. Sizemore, whose past behavior has not been consistent with his talents, makes it even more delicious to watch. Bravo to Jeffrey Goodman for a terrific movie!

Good movie , until the ending.

[jamalking15 · 5/10 · 1 October 2021]

Good movie, good acting, but the director lost his way for the ending. The last 10 minutes did not fit with the story. Totally non-sensical and unrealistic.

Kind of like the hobbit finding the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain in a cave.

Yawn

[jfh-72320 · 4/10 · 14 August 2021]

Setting aside that this is about a hit man, this movie is Lifetime Movie Network caliber and story. Housewives sit home and watch this crap. Story has been done many times before. No thrills. Poor acting. Woman gets harassed by ex and falls for the next guy she meets.

I would see it again!

[labear2 · 10/10 · 31 March 2008]

I loved the movie...very intense and full of action, yet with the true feel of the characters life story. The cinematography is great. The beauty of the outdoors was brought to life.

Director Jeffrey Goodman did an excellent job of not being graphic with the story line. The entire movie kept you waiting for the next "thriller". I don't think Mr. Goodman could have done a better job in bringing this short story into a full film for the public to enjoy.

Editor Phillip Harrison did a superb job in the editing of the close up shots of Price and Sarah learning each other and working to bring each of their lives into play..and to decide how the "situation" would be revealed.

This is a very effective and hard hitting thriller right down to the director and stars.

This is What I get for Blindly Pressing Play

[view_and_review · 2/10 · 10 March 2022]

"The Last Lullaby" is one of those movies you'll forget right after the end credits. If you remember anything it's just how awful it was.

I've seen many different actors play hitmen/assassins: Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Forest Whitaker, Denzel Washington, and on and on. Tom Sizemore has to be one of the worst casting decisions for a hitman. He was about as convincing as Pinnochio pretending to be a real boy. He was supposed to be this super badass that always has the drop on everyone else: Jason Bourne in a dad bod.

He took a one-million dollar contract to kill a woman named Sarah (Sasha Alexander). I don't think they even tried to hide the fact that he was going to fall for her; a marshmallowy soft plot and as original as tribal arm bands. He was given ten days to kill her and it had to look like an accident.

The predictable and rote romance all began when he was staking her out. You could see in his eyes the slow crumbling of his will to kill her. How could he kill a pretty auburn-haired dame? On day two or three of his recon mission he saved her from her abusive ex-boyfriend. That led to another encounter which led to them essentially dating. You knew that he was going to have to eventually protect her once it was discovered that he abandoned the assignment, and who better to protect her than a retired hitman?

The acting in this movie was abysmal. There was no spark or chemistry between Sizemore and Alexander. And as bad as Sizemore was (almost like he was reluctantly doing a favor for someone), Sasha Alexander was worse. They could've gotten a wooden plank to play her role. Someone forgot to tell her this wasn't a reading and that the cameras were rolling. I've seen DMV employees with more personality.

But as bad as she was, she wasn't the blame for the script. The script should've been labeled "burn after reading." Tell me, what sane woman isn't concerned that the man she was dating was hired to kill her? Sarah wasn't. After believing that Price (Sizemore) had never even held a gun, she saw him totally dispatch of a would-be assassin, and the issue was never brought up. There wasn't a single conversation of how he is so good at defending her and getting rid of people. Eventually, while they were holed up in a hotel, she said, "Go ahead and kill me. That's what you're here for right?" This wasn't said with passion, anger, or any emotion you'd associate with a person who just found out she'd been dating her assassin. This was said in a nonchalant manner like she was ordering takeout. It wasn't even resignation, though she said she was "tired."

The two of them, now bosom buddies, then hatched a plan to kill her father (he hired her killer) and make more money in the process. Again, that was done with little fanfare, and that was probably the biggest issue with this entire production--it was devoid of emotion. Everything, from beginning to end, was done on autopilot. It was like none of the actors wanted to be there, like they all drew the short straw. Whatever the writer Max Allan Collins had in mind if his short story became a movie, this could not have been it.

A rare, surprising, subtle gem, a true recent film noir

[secondtake · 9/10 · 28 September 2011]

The Last Lullaby (2008)

Here's a film that reinvigorates the true moody, classic, slightly low-budget intensity of film noir. It's not latecomers like "Chinatown," Blood Simple," or "Mulholland Drive," which are strong movies on their own terms (and often waved as recent film noirs). "The Last Lullaby" survives and penetrates on the essence of a good noir--a leading protagonist who is lost in the world, a mysterious set of forces out to take him down, a leading female with dubious intentions, and gloomy dramatic filming to create a mood of uncertainty and, frankly, dark elegance.

This is a kind of masterpiece that I think will grow over time. Like some of the great noirs (to keep this theme going for just another thought), the first impression might be flawed, as if there is something too forced and stylized and sometimes even clunky going on. But this is part of what makes for style, and style is what makes for a lasting, unique movie. Think of "The Big Heat" or even "Double Indemnity." (For some reason, "Point Blank" with Lee Marvin comes to mind as as somewhat newer parallel).

Tom Sizemore makes the movie. He's a hit-man seemingly drifting out of the business, but having nowhere to go or nothing to do with himself. And then his skills get called into play, almost by instinct. Sizemore manages laconic better than anyone. He's not weary, exactly, but indifferent because of a long violent life. (The actor might be remembered best for his terrific role in "Natural Born Killers," a good pedigree for this movie.) And of course he meets a woman in an unlikely way, and the plots twists and twists.

But it doesn't spin out of control thanks to Sizemore's steady and yet expressive and really subtle performance. And the woman, played by Sasha Alexander (tons of television, including 20 episodes of "Dawson's Creek"), who has more depth and restraint than you'd expect in this kind of role. In fact, part of the whole thrill of the movie is the way the two leads, who make up nearly every scene, are so low key even as the events are bloody and out of control in their violence.

The cast, crew, writers, and so on are all relatively new, or coming from modest careers. That they all collide and make something this special happen is one of the thrills of collaborative artmaking--movies, above all, with so many components to go wrong, or to go right. You might not find this to your taste, but if you do, it might be one of the great surprises of the year. It was for me.

Rich Characters and Very Entertaining

[gkmerri · 10/10 · 31 March 2008]

The Last Lullaby transported me as time flew while watching this movie. I felt it would appeal to women and men of many ages. It was very violent in many scenes, but the violence was not without cause nor was is unnecessarily gory. The sound editing was just fantastic with great moments of complete silence as well as very moving gun scenes. There were so many wonderful surprises in this film from moments of comic relief to shifts in the story line and great realizations about these interesting characters. I felt that I really knew these main characters by the end of the film. I cannot say how impressed I was with this film. It can compete with any high budget, big business film I have seen in years!

entertaining, deep

[charlesdangray · 9/10 · 31 March 2008]

This is a good movie. Compared to your average "blockbuster" thriller movie that comes out in theatres these days, I would consider it a great movie. There is some serious violence, which, while cool (from your average guy's standpoint) does not detract from the movie's purpose, which is to delve deep into the souls of the two main characters (who give great performances, by the way). This is done quite effectively with the help of unique cinematography and mesmerizing sounds (which includes some long periods without dialogue).

If you like the mystery/thriller, I don't think you could help but enjoy this one.

Beautifully done!

[ShoPaHoLiC904 · 10/10 · 30 March 2008]

It is obvious from the very beginning that this film is a labor of love by director Jeffrey Goodman. His commitment to telling a story without judgment, to engaging his audience, to trusting in his viewers' intelligence gracefully weaves throughout the movie. From the first moments, the audience members get the feeling that there is something a bit different about lead character Price, a loner who seems to have a heart buried somewhere in his powerful body. The chemistry that develops between Price and Sara is a testament both to the actors' talent as well as the director's ability to communicate his intended message. A fantastic first effort - I can't wait to see more from this talented director.

Excellent

[penguinguy · 10/10 · 30 March 2008]

This was a GREAT film. As Jeffrey Goodman stated at the premier, it will be classified as a "film noir"; however, it does not have the sense of foreboding that most film in this genre usually possess. You relate to the character's situations with empathy not sympathy. The humanity of the Price and Sarah is well developed--you see their "dark" side as expected but also glimpses of a softness and levity. The inner-conflict of Price was handled superbly. The ultimate resolution was neither expected nor unexpected--I found myself unsure how I wanted it resolved. The score was well done--added effect where necessary but not obtrusive.