The Last Round

I saw this movie at a special screening and went just to support the cast. I am so glad they invited me! This movie was so thought provoking. It is one thing to watch a video of friends and places that you know but another thing altogether to watch a well shot movie that just happens to have your friends in it. The art in this movie is great, from the circular table in the dark room, to the shot of lattice work on the porch. The twists keep coming and the story is well written. This movie falls in the genre of psychological thriller. You sense the torture each player (well, almost each) goes through to bring them to the game and the scenes with Percy are heart wrenching. Add in the fact that they included comic relief and you get a well rounded movie.

I just saw "The Last Round" the other day and I was profoundly impressed with its technical expertise, solid script, and overpowering performances. Featuring William B. Davis (Smoking Man) from the X-Files and a riveting cast of virtual unknowns Dan and Joe Masucci (aka The Masucci Brothers) prove they have the film-making chops to take on complicated production design, dark moody lighting, incredible camera-work, and star in and direct a REAL story. Rising far above any other independent filmmaker using digital video equipment the Masucci Brothers have produced their first feature length movie--a remake of one of their award-winning short films.

It's dark, depressing, intense, funny, emotional, and will have your heart pounding until the very end. Michael Hayes' performance will knock you out! This is a movie shot on video at the quality level of 35mm film. Being a cameraman and editor myself I can fully appreciate the professional skill that goes into a movie like this. This is no thrown-together, let's-meet-at-the-diner-and-make-movie-with-my -dad's-camcorder type of show...this is the real deal! It's bold and it's fun as hell to watch. The original music by David Bourgeois is everything Carter Burwell was to the Coen Brothers when they made Blood Simple. Joe Masucci's photography is equal to any work by any DP (that means Director of Photography, dumb-ass!) working in suspense films today. Dan's direction proves he's a dedicated artist waiting to explode onto the film scene. This is the best example of what low budget film-making can really be.

The Masucci Brothers are the cream of the crop in the independent film-making scene--hands down!! I've seen a lot of their stuff but this is better than all of their shorts and other projects put together. Anyone who likes suspense/drama type films owes it to themselves to acquire a copy of this movie and check it out for themselves. I can't wait to see what they'll do next and I know it won't be long until everyone else will be saying what I'm saying right now--the Coen Brothers, the Wachowski Brothers, the Masucci Brothers! Serious films deserve serious recognition. Seek this film out, watch it ; I guarantee it will make you want to go out and make a movie yourself!

John Brune Fort Wayne, IN