Last Call

I went into this film with very low expectations, and came out refreshingly surprised. While I will admit that the plot sometimes came off as a bit TOO contrived, the films other merits far overshadow that short-coming. I think what most impressed me was that it managed to skillfully combine a number of related themes (namely, the moral ambiguity of means vs. ends, the problems of urban decay, and how the former is exacerbated and largely ignored by a select few who benefit by the hegemony of wealth), while at the same time avoiding obvious clichés and homogenized characters.

I get the feeling that will complain that both films about inner-city problems and Robin Hood-type characters have been done before--many, many times--and that combining the two is neither much of a stretch nor particularly enticing. I wouldn't disagree, but "Last Call" definitely stands out among the crowd as much for its subtlety as for an ending that breaks far out of the mold.