The Last Time I Committed Suicide (1997)

One of the most surprising things in "The Last Time I Committed Suicide" is the whole part about Neal Cassady's thoughts about living the "ideal" American life (a nuclear family and a house surrounded by a white picket fence). Cassady was one of the major people in the Beat generation, which rejected the "Leave It to Beaver" image of life. If in fact Cassady thought about having this kind of life, then it goes to show his own conflicts, even beyond the main plot in this movie.But I digress. I think that the movie did a good job looking at Neal Cassady (Thomas Jane). He and Jack Kerouac remain two of the most important figures of the 20th century. Also starring Keanu Reeves, Marg Helgenberger and Gretchen Mol...and just take a look at that one scene of her! (you know which one I mean)

The best thing about this movie is the opening scene, where Neal Cassady is doing more daydreaming and dancing then he is working on his writing. The beginning of the movie screams to Cassady's life, and shows the audience a Marlon Brando type character that had strong ties with folks like, Allen Ginsberg and Jake Kerouac. Cassady, a forgotten literary figure with more passion for creativity then progress in writing, would later become the character to drive the bus in Ken Kesey's, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. It is important to note, that while Cassady had only one decent literary publication, his zealous outlook on life was borrowed by some of the "great literary beat writers" in America.The Actor Keanu Reeves, who I have never been a huge fan of, does an excellent job of shedding light on Cassady's constant dissonance about leaving the life of a beat writer, for the life of a 9-5 working man with a stable house, beautiful wife, and loving family.The movie overall, is about this dissonance, is about the passion that Cassady had for both the creative life and the more stable environment of the family life. Sadly, Cassady was unable to find balance between the two.Do not expect, watching this movie that it will touch your life with a "wow-effect" forever. It is not some type of magical-beat-generation-movie that you can philosophize about for hours, it is just a pretty good movie.What you can keep with you forever, however, is the soundtrack to this movie, The Last Time I Committed Suicide. With scores of music from folks like, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Tyler Bates, Ella Fitzgerald and Charles Mingus, this soundtrack is sure visit any jazz lovers CD player often.

The only reason i do not give this movie a ten is because of the ending. But i suppose they really had no choice seeing as how they were basing on a real letter that had been written adn a real person who actually existed, and im guessing actual events maybe. But other than that and Reeves, it was an incredible flicker. original to the T, and written beautifully. *****

Seeing that the whole movie is based on a letter from Neal Cassidy to Jack Kerouac, I reckon Stephen Kay did an excellent job of re-creating the essence that was Cassidy and his neer-do-well existence.You felt for Neal (played very well by Thomas Jane ). He could almost taste the sweetness of a well balanced life - the honey at home the white picket fence the dog running around in the yard, but circumstance (his likings for the female of the species, penchant for stealing cars and his friendship with good 'ol HARRY [played brilliantly by KEANU REEVES]), just got in the way of true happiness.The supporting cast give good all round performances, especially Claire Forlani as the girl of Cassidy's 'dreams'.This movie catches the 'beat' excellently with great visuals and a Class A soundtrack.Highly recommended.