Buena Vista Home Video Last Dance

loved it

Many say that this film suffered both financially and critically because it was released not long after the cinamatic death penalty hit "Dead Man Walking" and consequently tried to measure up. Personally, I think there is some truth to that as I watched the two films further apart and enjoyed them both. Granted, this film isn't "Dead Man Walking" but it has it's merits and raises a few issues that the other one didn't (i.e. race and perception.) So ultimately, timing was this film's downfall. Sheran Stone was great to watch as the woman on Death Row who is coming around to the idea of being sorry for what she's done when she was involved with killing two people (this is loosely based on the real-life case of Karla Fay Tucker from Texas.) Rob Morrow plays an attorney whose brother got him a job in the office of the Governor of South Carolina, working on the clemancy requests of, among others, the condemned whose time is now upon them...like Miss Stone. I do wonder about one thing...Rob Morrow's character is said to be a slacker who never took anything seriously. Law school's no easy thing...how'd he manage to not take that seriously? Anyway, Mr. Morrow's job originally seems straight-forward: investigate Stone's character and "make a recommendation" to the governor, who makes the ultimate decision as to sparing the condemned's life Note that there is a second, African American gentlemen also facing an impending lethal injection and his case, while being handled by another attorney, does come up from time to time. Anyway, it is interesting to watch as both Morrow's and Stone's characters go through their individual transformations while growing closer to one another in the process. I am glad that there was no traditional love story thrown in here because that would have ruined things. Rather, the intamacy shared between these two mirrors that shared by the characters in "Dead Man Walking" (I hate to keep making comparisons, but the timing of the films' releases and the subsequent critical reviews stemming from this idea make that impossible.) Stone and Morrow do have a sense of chemistry and when she's dissappointed that he didn't visit one day, it shows. If you enjoyed "Dead Man Walking", you'll find this a decent runner-up worth watching...just wait a little while. Enjoy.

It’s great thank you

I don't know how this film slipped past my radar but I have found it now. It is one of those inspiring, uplifting stories that shows how one life can make such a difference in so many. My father was teacher all his life and this story would have struck a chord with him. I know it did in me. If you need a lot of action and bells and whistles then just keep scrolling past this film. But, if you are looking for something that will leave you feeling better when you have finished watching it, then this is the movie for you.

I do not know what the heck all of the other reviewers are talking about. This movie is about an aged widow who meets back up with one of her former students, now a nurse, who befriends her, along with his family. In the process of building their relationship, she shares details of her relationship with her husband, a former soldier. The story is so sweet. A real love story and the story of a busy yet maybe disconnected family of 4 who come to love Mrs. Parker as she invites the little children, a boy and girl into her home. She has a failing health condition so time spent together is precious. Enjoy if you love an old fashioned story that crosses generations. Otherwise I hope someone at Amazon puts the right movie with the right reviews. I see this mess far too often. Hmmm!

This is a great movie focusing on how teachers can influence the lives of their students, aging population and how alone they are and how people sometimes forget to pay attention to their family while trying to balance jobs, interests and Bills. Just an all around feel good movie and a reminder that life is short, make the most of it.

Looking for a well-written and acting simple yet complex movie? This would be a wonderful way to enjoy a few hours. The other reviews will tell you about it, but I will say it leaves you feeling contemplative and gives you "happy tears"....

A great feel good movie with lots of comparisons of how life used to be lived and how it is today. Maureen O'Hara is wonderful, as always. Good cast and good story line in my opinion. If you are looking for a sweet family oriented story, this is a keeper!

I am an avid Sharon Stone fan and for me this is one of her great performances. She plays a convicted murderer on death row whose latest clemency appeal has been denied.Rob Morrow plays the young appeals officer who on examining her file discovers that she was badly defended at her trial and sets out to attempt to stay her execution.The acting in, and directing of this fast moving drama is excellent. The relationship that developes between the doomed Cindy Ligget (Stone) and Rick Hayes (Morrow) is electrifying and as the story comes to a close one cannot but be moved by the bond that has developed between the two.The murder scenes are quite grafic, however not overdone, so one is in no doubt about the horrendous murder that was commited 12 years prior.The supporting cast were equally well chosen, so overall this is another good movie for lovers of murder most foul and detective work, that slipped by almost unnoticed by the critics.The DVD copy I received is excellent. A pity no special features. I would really have liked a little background on the movie. However it still ranks up in my top 20 drama movies to see again, and again, and again.

This film highlights the tortuous process of American justice whereby people on death row are kept in limbo for so long before the sentence is actually carried out. If capital punishment is indeed necessary, it should surely be swifter for the sake of the victims and the perpetrators of the crime. I felt that the film should have focussed on the anguish of the victim's family more than it did, because they are made to suffer a pain which never goes away, but apart from this was a fair observation of the flaws within the criminal justice system. Sharon Stone is excellent of course, how could she be anything else ?

Although ridiculed by critics as "Dead Woman Walking", I think that "Last Dance" with Sharon Stone as doomed Death Row inmate Cindy Liggett is nonetheless original enough to stand on its own merits!

Really good film Sharon is brilliant in this

could have been so much better, sharon stone is great, rest of the cast very poor. didnt really have any reaction to this film emotionally, i'm usually crying like a baby with this subject matter.