The Last Stop in Yuma County (2023) User Reviews

Consistently good but can't quite take it to the next level

[jtindahouse · 7/10 · 2 October 2023]

Short review: I enjoyed 'The Last Stop in Yuma County', however I feel like there was room for me to enjoy it even more. I typically love these single-setting mystery/thrillers. I felt like the film was consistently good throughout, but it was never quite able to take a step up and reach that next level to make it something truly great.

The film is a lot of fun though. There are all the usual rag-tag misfits in terms of characters. Some nice dashes of humour along the way and some good menacing villains that are not to be messed with. The ending was also pretty wild and made sure things ended on a reasonably memorable note. 7/10.

Highway to Danger

[cutie7 · 7/10 · 19 April 2024]

"The Last Stop in Yuma County," the debut film from director Francis Galluppi, offers an intense and thrilling ride that packs a lot into its singular, rural Arizona setting. The story revolves around a traveling salesman who, while stranded at a desolate rest stop, suddenly finds himself caught in a harrowing hostage situation initiated by two ruthless bank robbers. Galluppi's choice to set the entire drama in one location amplifies the claustrophobic tension, which is skillfully maintained throughout the film. The retro style pays homage to the gritty crime thrillers of the 70s, providing a nostalgic touch that enhances the overall visual appeal and atmosphere.

The acting is a real highlight, with performances that bring depth and authenticity to the high-stakes drama. This strong ensemble cast ensures that every moment of the film feels urgent and genuine, echoing the intensity often found in Safdie Brothers films, yet with a unique flair that sets it apart. Although the film is mostly engaging and well-executed, there are a few spots where the pacing stumbles and the focus wavers, hinting at areas where Galluppi might further hone his skills. Despite these minor flaws, "The Last Stop in Yuma County" is a compelling watch, especially for those who appreciate tightly wound narratives and a solid throwback vibe. It's a promising start for Galluppi, showcasing his potential to grow into a noteworthy filmmaker in the genre.

Just plain wonderful.

[BandSAboutMovies · 8/10 · 29 September 2023]

The first movie from director and writer Francis Galluppi who comes right out of the gate with a movie that uses one location -- a truck stop where everyone's waiting for a tanker truck to fill up the gas pumps -- and sets the tension on high and just lets everything boil.

The Knife Salesman (Jim Commings) is one of those people that just can't wait to leave. Charlotte (Jocelin Donahue, The House of the Devil) is the waitress stuck there all day, dropped off by her husband, the sheriff (Michael Abbott Jr.). And then there are the two strangers that blow in full of menace, Travis (Nicholas Logan) and Beau (Richard Brake, the best part of many Rob Zombie movies). They just stole more money than you'd think was possible and are so close, so very close to Mexico.

So many people come in and out of the diner with various agendas: Deputy Gavin (Connor Paolo). A Native American named Pete (Jon Proudstar). A young couple named Miles (Ryan Masson) and Sybil (Sierra McCormick). Even Barbara Crampton, Alex Essoe and Faizon Love are in this.

It'd be easy to call this a Tarantino-style film. More to the point, it's a film influenced by the same influences, made by a new filmmaker who is ready to make a statement. This is one of my favorite movies that I've seen this year and I can't wait until this gets into wider release. It's something.

If they move... kill 'em

[Doctor-of-Nothing · 9/10 · 23 February 2024]

The final shot of The Last Stop in Yuma County gives way to the director's credit with the same sting that William Holden's line - "If they move... kill 'em" - announces Directed by Sam Peckinpah in The Wild Bunch. And if that isn't high praise enough, there's this: Last Stop is a crisp widescreen waltz and the devil is definitely playing the tune. Each character or pair of characters peel off the hot road and into what they think is a diner, but is really a pressure cooker, perfectly tended by the writer/director Galluppi. A one room crucible that his ceaselessly prowling camera explores with grace and guile until every inch of the geography is understood... yet miraculously allowing both everything and nothing that happens to be anticipated. Compare the clarity of the film's key incident to the mess Scorsese made of the final conflagration in The Departed or the stalking in Cape Fear. Galluppi wins hands down.

This is the best film of the year so far. A perfect choreography of characters, camera, and cunning. Amazing performances across the board. Cummings, Brake, Logan, Donahue, Abbott Jr., Paolo - sly, steely, antic, moving, scary, funny. All the needle drops are spot on, virtually becoming another character in the diner. But the slo-mo montage to Roy Orbison's "Crying" is the standout -- an absolutely stellar, chill inducing 2:48 seconds.

Rest or full stop?

[kosmasp · 9/10 · 8 February 2024]

No pun intended - the movie almost entirely plays in one location. Something that some may not feel to hot about, but the movie has enough ideas and enough suspense (plus twists) for it to work! Not to mention the actors to really elevate it. That is Richard Brake to name one - so good, so charismatic ... so powerful! But even the "old couple" is able to smitten the viewer. Especially grandpa - a hand gesture alone says more than a thousand words ... and works like charm too.

That all said, the movie is boiling hot - not just because the AC is not working. You have to wait for something to happen at first ... but when the movie lets the lid off ... well it really blows off entirely. Morality may be hard to find - but that is what we get served ... which also may not be exactly what you will be ... expecting! Enjoy this for what it is ... a great b-movie with an idea and dialog that go hand in hand ... I've got some silverware to sell you - watch out for the audio extra during the end credits.

Excellent Crime Thriller, Francis Galluppi first feature film was brilliant.

[kmkevinn-64733 · 10/10 · 11 May 2024]

Director Francis Galluppi first feature film was excellent, small cast of actors in one environment at the deserts of Arizona. I honestly believe this is better than Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, not many people liked and enjoyed it, there's a few people like me that did not cared of the movie that much. This tells the story about a businessman, two bank robberies and the waitress and a few other folks that came for the gasoline truck, right in the beginning that gas truck collapsed and truck driver did not survived. The tension is palpable, the atmosphere thick with anticipation, and the characters are as richly textured as the American landscape they inhabit. Galluppi's direction is nothing short of brilliant. He orchestrates the suspense with the skill of a seasoned maestro, ensuring that the audience is on the edge of their seats from the opening shot to the final frame. The cinematography is a visual treat, capturing the stark beauty of the desert and the claustrophobic intimacy of the diner with equal aplomb. The script, penned by Galluppi himself, is a work of art. It weaves together elements of dark humor, pathos, and suspense to create a tapestry that is both intricate and engaging. The dialogue crackles with intensity, and the plot twists are executed with such finesse that they leave the audience breathless. Through this 90 minute feature length film and a indie film, is a cinematic triumph. It is a film that not only entertains but also lingers in the mind long after the credits have rolled. With its impeccable direction, stellar performances, and a modern classic that will be remembered as one of the finest examples of American indie filmmaking and of course the script that's as sharp as a knife.

It's a deliciously nerve-wrecking set-up...!!!

[PANDIAN120621 · 8/10 · 11 May 2024]

With each new narrative development, the film's game of cat and mouse grows more complex... Some people lay on to the danger they're in, while others are blissfully unaware. The diner becomes a pressure cooker, and you never know who's going to make the move, either accidentally or on purpose, that sets the whole thing off...

You can feel Quentin Tarantino's artistic DNA coursing through this story... There are little moments of blackhearted comedy among the bloodshed, but through it all, The Last Stop in Yuma County makes sure that those gunshots resonate. It isn't about the violence overall as we're watching people die messy, unnecessary deaths that come about for no good reason. They just happened to run out of gas at the worst possible time...

Galluppi isn't afraid to kill any of his darlings. Who's left standing by the day's end becomes just as surprising as the insanely entertaining journey getting there... The single location setting is richly textured, with production designer Charlie Textor ensuring the rest stop has as much personality as the elite group stuck there. The vibrant color grading further enriches the production value. Despite the desolate setting...

Also the primary thing that stands tall is the camera work gorgeous enough that reflects the mood of the desert...Also the score combines with what's in the frame in such a way that it satisfies the haunting minds of the atmosphere...While the sound design helps to design or to establish the tension that the least or minute barren desert too contributes...

And finally what to say about the casting everybody did their job in perfection that you can't move the eyes off the screen & therefore keeping our adrenaline pumping until the last act...One can't forget "FARGO" or even " THE HATEFUL EIGHT" Where the director honors the G. O. A. T...

Overall it's everybody's cup of coffee to rejuvenate consuming the medium called Cinema...

Well... that escalated slowly.

[FlexSupSimplex8 · 7/10 · 10 May 2024]

... and i mean this in a far more positive way than it sounds!

A slow-burning B-movie with a single-setting scenario and American Rust atmosphere, Yuma County introduces sweetly one-dimensional characters (again I'm meaning well, they are so by choice) - right until the plot decides to have a lil bit of macabre fun and put them in the most complex, unresolvable, dilemmatic (most often than not life or death) situations. The second half of the movie recompenses for the patience with the first one: it is dark and hilarious and sad and unnerving, and more; there's twists and turns worthy of a James Patterson novel, and soon enough it all escalates faster than you can write or pronounce the word -escalate-...

In short: I can see where the globally good ratings come from. An enjoyable little gem. Doesn't overstay its welcome too. Technically and acting-wise a fine enough job as well.