The Last Kiss

DVD Release Date: 12th February.

Having something of a personality crisis after knocking-up his girlfriend Jenna (Barret), Michael (Braff) becomes disillusioned with his life, worrying that he's missed out on his best years by being tied up in a long-term relationship. Matters are further complicated by hot college student Kim (Bilson) coming on strong to an already-confused Michael. Splitting its audience directly down the middle, The Last Kiss was pretty much a love it or hate it experience for the majority of the cinema-going public upon its theatrical release. If you happen to be a fan of the wacky (and excellent) TV show Scrubs, and have not seen Braff's impressive debut as writer/director/star of Garden State, chances are you'll come out of The Last Kiss scratching your head and wondering where the walking into walls and incoherent ponderings of its lead are. This is not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination, but essentially an extension of the type of character Braff created and portrayed in Garden State. Okay, so it's not exactly Bergman territory; there are moments of comedy, but ultimately this is a slow and almost sombre character piece about love, loss and forgiveness. Braff has by now, mastered the reflective late-twenties male role, playing an unlikeable character with a pragmatic and well rounded realism that is both refreshing and reminiscent of a character John Cusack would play in the mid-to-late '90s. This is a beautifully paced, simplistic and at times uncomfortable (especially if you're with the other half) watch. Director Goldwyn and scripter Paul Haggis (who penned Crash) do a fine job of actually portraying a proper adult relationship on celluloid - arguments and all - leaving us urging Michael to do the right thing, whilst simultaneously wondering what we'd do in a similar situation. Bilson's character is easily someone who could've turned into one dimensional bitch mode, but it's a testament to the script and especially Bilson, that Kim comes off as merely sweet if more than a tad naive. There are flaws: Michaels friends are all underwritten, somewhat cliched characters - if sporadically entertaining, and a sub-plot involving Casey Affleck really doesn't have enough time to evolve sufficiently and feels rushed. Tom Wilkinson, though, proves yet again that he is one of the most underrated actors on the planet, being both subtle and strong as Jenna's concerned father. Another excellent addition to the resume for Braff, and conclusive evidence that character-driven studio films can work in the right hands.