In The Last Word, Shirley MacLaine is Harriet Lauler, a once successful businesswoman in tight control of every aspect of her life. As she reflects upon her accomplishment, she's suddenly inspired to engage a young local writer, Anne Sherman (Amanda Seyfried), to pen her life's story. When the initial result doesn't meet Harriet's high expectations, she sets out to reshape the way she is remembered, with Anne dragged along as an unwilling accomplice. As the journey unfolds, the two women develop a unique bond which alters not only Harriet's legacy, but also Anne's future.
Critic Reviews:
- " A bracingly cynical set-up is slightly betrayed by a treacly ending, but redeemed by the cast, especially the watchable Seyfried and MacLaine, who has the same glint in her eyes that she had in 1960 in The Apartment. " – Times (UK)
- " Even as individual moments of The Last Word may find you rolling your eyes, its central performance rivets attention from first to last. " – The Arts Desk
- " A tear-jerking affair that feels like a modern version of Scrooge. " – Daily Express (UK)