themope I found this film to be much better than expected, especially compared to the relatively low score on IMDb. I'd give it a solid 8.5. Fine acting by both the father and the little boy (and all the incidental characters). It reminded me a bit of the Russian film "The Return (Vozvrashchenie)." Both were so-called last rides between father and son(s). If you like this film, there's a good chance you'll like "The Return." One of the things I really liked about this movie was that it didn't need to have every moment filled with dialog like a lot of movies. There are some great scenes with little or no dialog where the interaction between the characters and their environment created enough mood on their own. More dialog would have just been a distraction at times. My only complaint about the film was that I wish it was a bit longer. But then that's a sign of a good film, you don't want it to end.

zippee This is a coming of age story of two people on a road trip. A man and a boy are elementally bound and separated through their own actions over the course of their intense journey . Each of their choices resonates as a life lesson. Context is revealed in the sparing use of flashbacks: like inexact memories, past acts are recalled in short swirls, and distancing, grainy, TV blue- hues. The characters' more intentional, real-time acts take place in the redemptive, sensually saturated landscape of the Outback. I found Last Ride to be more compelling than anything I've seen this year, with its lean dialogue, stunning cinematography, and great performances. It was so elegantly assembled, that I'm still aghast -this film is a prizewinner in my book. At the same time, I wonder whether I will need to lobby locally, so I can see it on the screen it deserves. It also recalled the more subtle, character-revealing aspects of Thelma and Louise. I saw Little Fish a few years ago, also featuring Hugo Weaving. That that film imprinted on me in a similar way, because it turned out to be an unexpectedly piquant dish. Last Ride is a feast of a film. Bravo, and thank you.

pacificsite It takes a lot of guts to push for truth to character rather than going for the easy way out, softening the edges. In this film Hugo Weaving's character has been so severely scarred by life that he has become a total sociopath, with no capacity for empathy, let alone love. It would have been easier for Weaving to have softened him a bit, shown signs that really deep down he did love his son. But that would not have been this guy, who is as hard as nails and totally self-concerned. Even when takes his son camping, it is all about himself, recapturing the few happy times in his youth. When his son makes that picture shake, his reaction is vicious. All this makes it a hard film to watch, in the same league as some other Australian films like "The Boys". Matching Weaving step for step, Tom Russell's portrayal of the wary boy wishing his father would show him some affection but fearing the worst, is brilliant. Never overdone or mawkish, showing extraordinary subtlety and maturity for one so young. Finally, the ending is suitably enigmatic, leaving us with questions about what really happened, and what might now.A brilliant film, but if you like feel-good with a happy ending, don't go to this one.

Likes_Ninjas90 Last Ride opens with a man named Kev (Hugo Weaving) entering a coffee shop with his young son named Chook (Tom Russell). Kev proceeds to use the bathroom in the shop to cut off some of his own hair. Yet when he also removes the number plate from his car, it becomes more apparent that Kev is determined to conceal his whereabouts and his identity. It is eventually revealed that Kev has murdered someone and is running from the law with his son. Together they endure a road trip across Australia and much of the film is spent dealing with the interplay between the father and son on the road and into the outback. With his short temper Kev is a dangerous and dislikeable man, often violent to both strangers and his son alike. Despite this, he never forgets that he is still Chooks father and continues to try and teach him lessons in life.Based on the novel by Denise Young and directed by Glendyn Ivin, this is yet another quiet and intensive Australian film, driven by a superb performance from its lead actor, Hugo Weaving. The verisimilitude of the character of Kev is derived from the significant detail placed into his appearance. From his tattoos and rugged facial hair, his scars and bruises, Kev is a fearsome looking man and this is further realised when we learn that he has already spent time in gaol. He remains entirely repelling in almost all of his actions. He is both a thief and murderer, with an extremely short fuse for anyone that gets in his way, including his son Chook. His first words to his son as he hands him some change in the coffee shop are: 'I want a burger and a coffee. Get whatever you want.' While seemingly insignificant, this establishes his dogmatic manner and simultaneously the rather uneven way that he caters towards his sons needs. As he strokes Chook's forehead as he sleeps, we understand that there is unusual complexion between the thuggery of prison life still inside of him and the father that he should be. Given how deplorable Kev is at times, it is testimony to the skill of Weaving that the performance remains wholly absorbing. Weaving is a lifetime away from some of the more famous roles he is known for, such as Agent Smith in The Matrix and V from V for Vendetta. It's an outstanding performance. Yet given that our sympathy rests on the shoulders of young Tom Russell's character, one cannot praise his performance enough either. Russell is equally superb in his role, looking and sounding just like an ordinary child, with wants and needs, dragged along through this chaos and far too young to understand the consequences.A great deal of tension in the film is derived not only from how Kev treats his son, but what could result from this later in life. Kev mentions at one point in the film about how his own father left him out in the desert to teach him a lesson and towards the end of the film, as they are crossing a lake, Kev too leaves Chook by himself and drives off. The echo of the stories here reminds us of the way that poor parenting is passed down from father to son. It is impossible not wonder from moments like this, and also when Chook starts shoplifting, whether Chook will become like his dad too. Though the final third of the film is quite slow and ponderous, perhaps fitting with the tranquillity of the landscape, the questions about Chook's future are answered in a very satisfying manner, as we start to see how he rejects his father's ways and begins thinking for himself. These scenes, many of which are beautifully photographed, are also punctured by a powerful climax that many are sure to find extremely moving. It is the credibility of the interplay between the father and his son that lays the platform for the emotion in the ending, without veering into sentimentality.Last Ride is slow burning and intense film, buoyed by two terrific performances. Hugo Weaving deserves many of the accolades that he is surely to receive for this performance and Tom Russell has also shown great potential as well. There are many brutal and confronting moments in this film and the pace is often very slow and ponderous, but the film's ability to surprise the viewer with new information about Kev's past and to develop the characters in an emotional finale remains highly rewarding. It is a really fine film.