Final (2001)

I purchased this film in 2006 in a bargain bin. I tried watching the film and after 20 minutes I didn't have the patience to keep viewing. It may have been the sets, a hospital room with only a bed. I tried viewing this film at least 3 more times. I then was fortunate to pick up "The Secret Lives of Dentists" with both Hope Davis & Dennis Leary and after seeing that gem I just had to see "Final" and have the patience to see it through. I somehow remembered the film taking place in a padded room but I was very wrong. As I past the 20 minute mark the film just kept getting better until it captivated me. By the end of the film I was hooked. Without spoiling the film I can only compare this experience as a life lesson. I must have patience and I was so thankful that I prevailed because this film has some of the best acting I have seen especially on such a budget. This film as my gift for having a film for over 7 years and finally thanking the powers that be to allow me to see a love story. I wish all Science Fiction films had the intimate passion between the lead actors that "Final" has within it.

Having been knocked out by Campbell Scott's 'Off the Map', I ordered his previous feature film on DVD and now that I see how brilliant that is as well, there can be no doubt about it: Campbell Scott is one of the finest film directors ever to come out of America. This one contains a tour de force performance by Denis Leary as 'Bill', who wakes up in a hospital room and wonders what the hell is going on. Much of the film takes place there, and the film has the claustrophobic intensity and fascination of the film 'Tape', which is set in a motel room. This film has a sci fi premise which slowly emerges from the confusion experienced by Bill, as the pieces begin to fall into place. But it is not just sci fi, it is a serious meditation upon the future (if we are to have one!), and Bruce McIntosh's script is really brilliant, full of provocative insights. As a counterfoil to the rough diamond character of Denis Leary there is a sensitive, finely-judged performance from a highly superior actress, Hope Davis, who appears to be treating him in the hospital. Or is she? And her supervisor is well played by Maureen Andermann. What is her real job? Anyone who has an attention span of five minutes maximum should not watch this film, because it requires sustained attention throughout. In fact, morons should be strictly prohibited from seeing 'Final', and firmly told that it has nothing to do with football. If the wrong people watched this film through to the end, there is no telling what might happen. We cannot afford to let this get out. This film is every bit as much off the radar as 'Off the Map'. 'Final' and 'Off the Map' are so original, Campbell Scott has redefined the word itself.

Dennis Leary may have started a comedian, but he is becoming a top-notch actor. His TV work just keeps getting better, and Final shows how good he can be.****SPOILER****In this film by Independent Digital Entertainment, Leary plays Billy, a man who wakes in a mental hospital with no clear memory of why he is there. Billy is lead to believe it has only been one week since he had an accident, but he thinks it has been four hundred years and that he is slated to be killed. As things progress, it is made increasingly clear that there is something unusual going on. Billy remembers more and more of the events leading to his accident and finally discovers the truth. This film was well shot on digital and had good acting and great dialog. All in all, a good movie with a decent take on the whole coma/cryogenic/future/past combo.

****POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT**** I've just finished watching this on DVD. I got it as part of an auction lot some time ago...I just never got around to watching it. I wish i hadn't bothered. It seems that some guy (Denis Leary) walks up in some psychiatric institution. He is convinced he was cryogenically frozen and is about to be killed with a FINAL lethal injection. His doctor (Hope Davis) tries to help him with his unstable mind, trying to convince him it is still 1999 and he's just been in a coma. How he initially ended up in the coma is hinted at, but never really explained. What we ultimately find out (after a solid HOUR of NOTHING but tedious doctor/patient chit-chat) is that (GASP) he was frozen and they are going to kill him to take something out of his brain stem to save the world! HUH? Why BOTHER "waking him up" and then go to all of the trouble to make him believe it's 1999---just so they can turn around and kill him? Since he is/was clinically dead to begin with, couldn't they just thaw him out and harvest what they needed withOUT waking him and going through the whole elaborate theatricals of it being 30 years earlier? Someone else on here compared it to a long episode of "THE TWILIGHT ZONE"...I agree, I suppose... It is VERY LONG (zzzzz), and would be much better formatted to a half-hour in length. But the difference between this and "THE TWILIGHT ZONE" is that "THE TWILIGHT ZONE" is/was GOOD! This was NOT that involving or interesting, sorry to say... Someone needs to cryogenically FREEZE this movie and make sure it is NEVER revived! BLAH!