If You Were the Last

In fresh dramedy "If You Were The Last" astronauts Anthony Mackie & Zoe Chao are stranded alone in space for three years on a charmingly lo-tech spaceship (which is in no way authentic - that's not the film's vibe) with no comms to earth but food, air and batches of music & movies. To pass time they ponder issues like the pro's & cons of sleeping with each other - including the emotions involved (or lack thereof). Geoff Stults & especially Natalie Morales give good support, and Kristian Mercado directs with fine quirky style on his debut, matching debut writer Angela Bourassa's script that's more light, bright, chick-flick than legitimate sci-fi. A good, effective, original film.

Cute little romance movie with a sweet storyline. The sci-fi effects in space are done super cute, almost like a theatre play. The romance part is understandable, I mean, if you are locked up with someone for 3 years, shut out of the "real world", of course you are going to have a special bond with that person. Both main actors are entertaining to watch and have cute chemistry together. I fairly enjoyed this light romance comedy! Don't expect a high production with high budget CGI and whatnot. Just enjoy the lighthearted romance and the cute set in space, then you will have a great time watching this movie.

There is so much to like, from the cardboard space shuttle and cardboard planets and Styrofoam asteroids, to the very likeable Jane and Adam. No one would believe that would be any interior of a spacecraft, but it is perfect for the story. It is not meant to be a sci-fi documentary. And Adam with his obsession with Pop Tarts. They are stranded in space, no communications and no navigation and the movie starts out with a cost/benefit discussion as to whether they could/should be rescued. And they have been in space three years. Jane and Adam are married, but not to each other. Benson was along, but now only a skeleton in a spacesuit, and one doesn't get the story until late in the film. It is a very gentle rom-com on a very human level. What if they cannot get home? Jane tries working on the wiring to get things to work, but there are billions of possibilities, as the wires are not labeled. It is breezy, with lots of funny parts, including that Adam was terrified watching the film Alien. Yes, they have movies and music, and even a farm with chickens and a goat. And Adam is working on crossing marijuana with a blueberry plant. Suddenly, after a rewiring, they still don't have communications, but they get navigation, so they can be back on earth in three weeks. How is that going to work out?

I've never heard of Zoe Chao, but she is quite charming! And this is probably the first non-Marvel movie with Anthony Mackie that I actually enjoyed. Together, they make this idea work. And the levity of the interesting visuals works as a nice contrast to the seriousness of the situation, and it's quite different from my expectations.. which further assisted my enjoyment very much.

It's rather simple, but very personal. Goes to show that you don't really require a gigantic budget, when the idea and execution can properly entertain you for 1 hour and a half.

Easy recommendation for anyone looking for "Comedy + Romantic + Sci Fi" story.

The storyline has some interesting beats, and the performances by the leads (Anthony Mackie & Zoe Chao) are endearing. While it's best not to dig greatly into the sci-fi aspects of the film, this is one of those films that's uplifted greatly by the camaraderie the protagonists share. Even routine activities carry a delightful charm, and given the isolated setting of the film, it also helps that both the leads are fantastic dancers.

The writing (especially, the dialogues) gives them both sufficient shades and spends time detailing their pop-culture preferences (music, cinema), making it easy to connect with their mindsets. A particular decision they decide to take (and the moral dilemma behind it) is presented quite nicely. The visuals exude a Wes Anderson-esque charm; the colors are rich and bright, making the environs of the "space box" really appealing. Some of the storytelling steam is lost in the final 30 minutes and the resolution to the film's core problem is rather quick, but it sure doesn't take much away from its watchability factor.