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The Last Hurrah

Rated: Not Rated

        When I joined Twitter just over a year ago I had no idea that it would end up busting the world of independent film wide open for me. Since joining I’ve met countless filmmakers and been introduced to a myriad of films that I never would’ve seen or heard of otherwise. The sheer number of films, both feature length and short, that I continue to discover through Twitter is mind boggling. I truly had not a clue that there were so many people out there struggling to follow their dreams on a daily basis, and to see the blood, sweat and tears they are putting into each of their projects is genuinely inspirational.
 
        One of the first films I found out about through Twitter is the recent short by K. Patrick Tutera, Prime Sinister Pictures and Twenty One Productions, The Last Hurrah. The film follows ex husband and wife duo Samuel and Petra as they pull one last heist in hopes of securing their retirement from crime and making a better life for their son. Their past runs deep, but it seems that the millions they’ve just stolen can’t fix everything.
Aleksandra Vujcic and Michael Bronte in The Last Hurrah (Photo courtesy of K. Patrick Tutera)

Aleksandra Vujcic and Michael Bronte in The Last Hurrah (Photo courtesy of K. Patrick Tutera)

 
        On the film’s KickStarter page writer/director/actor    K. Patrick Tutera says this about the film, “The Last Hurrah is my homage to the many great films noir that have inspired, and continue to inspire me. For film noir is not a relic of the past, but is rather an ever-present force in the present, inspiring everything from the neo-noir sci-fi classic Blade Runner to The Dark Knight Batman series to Netflix’s current hit, House of Cards, to one of my favorite TV shows of all time, the (soon to be rebooted!!!) Twin Peaks… Noir is a convention that defies definition but you do know it when you see it.”
 
         I agree with him there. Over the past year I’ve done my best to catch up on many of the noir and neo-noir classics that I’ve missed out on for so long, but if one were to ask me what it is that makes them all noir I’m not sure I’d be able to answer. But, as he said, you know it when you see it.
 
        There’s no question that The Last Hurrah is noir style. Before the credits are done rolling you know you’re about to witness a different sort of short film.  The original score by David Frank and the old-timey radio program playing in the background conjure recollections of the best that 1940’s Hollywood had to offer. Filmed entirely in black and white with actors in period costume, it’s easy to forget that this is a film recently made, and not one that has been lost in a vault somewhere in the basement of a Hollywood studio.
 
        With a strong jawline and square, masculine frame, it’s clear why Michael Bronte was cast as the leading man, Samuel. His line delivery throughout the film is reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart, with all of the faux insults and sarcasm that go with it. The hat and trench coat he wears in the beginning of the film produced an image of the old Dick Tracy in my mind as I watched, and lent itself well to the general themes portrayed onscreen.
Aleksandra Vujcic confronts Michael Bronte in The Last Hurrah (Photo courtesy of K. Patrick Tutera)

Aleksandra Vujcic confronts Michael Bronte in The Last Hurrah (Photo courtesy of K. Patrick Tutera)

 
        As the leading lady, Aleksandra Vujcic makes the perfect noir heroine and partner in crime. Born in Croatia, Aleksandra’s accent adds the perfect touch to the mysterious and deceitful Petra. Her onscreen dynamic with Bronte is not one that is easily faked, and speaks miles of her skill in acting.
 
        K. Patrick Tutera worked long and hard to amass the perfect team for The Last Hurrah, and the effort certainly shows. The scenes, music, actors and set all endeavor to create the feelings of sex appeal and mystery that were mainstay in the timeless noir classics of the past. The Last Hurrah is K. Patrick Tutera’s homage to the noir style, but it is destined to become a classic of its own.
 
        The Last Hurrah is not rated, was written and directed by K. Patrick Tutera and stars Aleksandra Vujcic and Michael Bronte. It is currently slated to begin the film festival rounds, and will be shown at the Film Noir Festival in Albert, France on Saturday December 10. More information about The Last Hurrah and K. Patrick Tutera can be found here:

  • The Last Hurrah on IMDB