
Netflix has been throwing out interesting stuff for the streaming audience. The way of things to come was evident when they blew up part of their budget on Christmas films during the festive season. In that vein comes The Last Laugh, the Netflix Original starring Chevy Chase and Richard Dreyfuss. This is our complete The Last Laugh review.
Chevy Chase plays Al Hart, a retired road agent who meets one of his first clients, Buddy (Richard Dreyfuss), in an old age home. They decide to restart their career, with the high point being Buddy playing at a prestigious show. Buddy, who didn’t have the verve until his girlfriend dies of an heart attack, then travel with Chevy all the way to Las Vegas, performing at various small time venues.
What’s Wow: Chevy Chase and Richard Dreyfuss were two of the most influential actors in the seventies and eighties, and the film simply pulls over with their charm. The concept of a bromance film starring two very old men is brilliant. It’s interesting to see that both have an almost equal screentime. The film devotes more time to what happens behind the scenes in the life of a stand up comedian. The film has a good screenplay, and makes ample use of the natural chemistry between Richard and Chevy.
What’s Blah: While The Last Laugh is a well made film, the one thing’s that missing is the conflict. In fact, The Last Laugh has less conflict than a holiday film that’s approved for viewership by all ages. This is one of those films that you should watch to wither away all the stress that you’d have in a day, a week or a year.
Because the film focuses on the two actors and their track, the rest of the story arcs are waylaid by the roadside, creating a fiercely intimate piece that talks about friendship. Then again, it’d be an interesting idea to add more of the stand up stuff in a film that’s essentially about stand up comedy.
Parting Shot: The Last Laugh is a light hearted, drama-free film.
Cast and Crew
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Chevy Chase, Andie MacDowell, Lewis Black, Kate Micucci, Chris Parnell
Director: Greg Pritkin
Producer: Rob Paris
Writer: Greg Pritkin
The Last Laugh is streaming on Netflix