I have yet to see DMW- starring Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon, but given it was such a popular movie, it was difficult for this one to step out of its shadow. It is about a woman up against death row. An attorney steps in and tries to save her life by proving her innocence in a murder trial. I have always been intrigued with prison movies for their grittiness, and drama, and Last Dance has some real moments of tension. However the grittiness is somewhat lacking, until the end (and even there its not as strong). What saves the movie is strong acting, specifically from Stone (who is somewhat Hollywood's female version of Sean Penn in that they exceed in the lowlife "bad guy" roles like no other). 7/10.
25 Reviews
Lethal injection
jotix1002 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Some criminals in death row get a dose of their own medicine while they await execution, which seems to be the case with Cindy Liggett, a woman that killed two young people a few years before. Cindy, it appears, is resigned to die. She doesn't want the idea of getting false hopes, which is what happens when a young idealistic lawyer tries to have her execution stopped because he finds flaws in her case. Unfortunately, his pleas in favor of his client go into deaf ears.
Rich Hayes, a young lawyer, returns home to a job his brother John, a lawyer working in the legal system, has been able to get for him. He is assigned to the clemency department, reviewing old cases that have been tried already. The Cindy Liggett murder conviction gets his attention. It's clear, from the start, her reaction is negative. She feels she is better off dead, rather than serve life in jail. At first, Cindy clashes with Rich, but his earnestness win her over, as she begins to see some hope.
Rich, for his part, steps into many toes. Worst of all, he makes a blunder by accosting the state Governor at the wrong place, at the wrong time. The Governor believes in the death sentence and is against showing clemency for a murderess like Ms. Liggett, who, as far as he is concerned, has shown no remorse in the horrible way she killed.
The last moments of the film involve Cindy's preparation to die by lethal injection for the crimes she committed. It is a tense time as Rich tries to do everything possible to spare the convict of the impending death. There is a tender moment when Cindy discovers a dress Rich has bought for her to wear at her execution.
Bruce Heresford has had some successes in his long film career, both in his native Australia and in America. This film will always be compared to "Dead Man Walking", a more intense, and better film. The screen play by Ron Koslow doesn't quite make us care too much for a woman who has, apparently, not an ounce of redeeming qualities. We don't believe for one moment that the young lawyer, who also hasn't done anything worth while in his life will take the convict's case to heart like he does in the film.
The best thing in "Last Dance" is Sharon Stone. She obviously wanted to be taken seriously when she agreed to do this movie. Her Cindy Liggett shows a hardened soul who awakens to realize the consequences of her actions and must pay for them. Rob Morrow, who plays Rich Hays throws away the film in the way he plays the character. We don't believe him for a moment he is this man who tries so hard to have Cindy's conviction changed to life. Randy Quaid, Peter Gallagher, Jack Thompson, and Skeet Ulrich are seen in the film.
The main reason to watch "Last Dance" is Sharon Stone who shows she has the potential to do better things in her movie career.
Rich Hayes, a young lawyer, returns home to a job his brother John, a lawyer working in the legal system, has been able to get for him. He is assigned to the clemency department, reviewing old cases that have been tried already. The Cindy Liggett murder conviction gets his attention. It's clear, from the start, her reaction is negative. She feels she is better off dead, rather than serve life in jail. At first, Cindy clashes with Rich, but his earnestness win her over, as she begins to see some hope.
Rich, for his part, steps into many toes. Worst of all, he makes a blunder by accosting the state Governor at the wrong place, at the wrong time. The Governor believes in the death sentence and is against showing clemency for a murderess like Ms. Liggett, who, as far as he is concerned, has shown no remorse in the horrible way she killed.
The last moments of the film involve Cindy's preparation to die by lethal injection for the crimes she committed. It is a tense time as Rich tries to do everything possible to spare the convict of the impending death. There is a tender moment when Cindy discovers a dress Rich has bought for her to wear at her execution.
Bruce Heresford has had some successes in his long film career, both in his native Australia and in America. This film will always be compared to "Dead Man Walking", a more intense, and better film. The screen play by Ron Koslow doesn't quite make us care too much for a woman who has, apparently, not an ounce of redeeming qualities. We don't believe for one moment that the young lawyer, who also hasn't done anything worth while in his life will take the convict's case to heart like he does in the film.
The best thing in "Last Dance" is Sharon Stone. She obviously wanted to be taken seriously when she agreed to do this movie. Her Cindy Liggett shows a hardened soul who awakens to realize the consequences of her actions and must pay for them. Rob Morrow, who plays Rich Hays throws away the film in the way he plays the character. We don't believe him for a moment he is this man who tries so hard to have Cindy's conviction changed to life. Randy Quaid, Peter Gallagher, Jack Thompson, and Skeet Ulrich are seen in the film.
The main reason to watch "Last Dance" is Sharon Stone who shows she has the potential to do better things in her movie career.
Only for Sharon
Angeneer4 June 2000
So so film about death penalty. Full of cliches and emotional manipulation. Yes, you got it right, a definite tear jerker. So, not for me. But look! Isn't that Sharon Stone? Sure she is, beautiful as always. It's true, I sat trough the whole film just for her.
Movie is touching
Akash115 December 2004
Movie starts of with Rick Hayes (Rob Morrow) a young lawyer who gets a new job and is assigned a clemency case on Cindy Liggett (Sharon Stone) who has been on death row for 12 years for double murder. Rick Hayes tries to save Liggett from execution. At first she refuses to give Rick information. But later on gets along with him and they get closer. Everyone gives up on her and Rick is the only one trying to help her and is very driven to save her.
Some people might say it is a slow and boring movie and that the plot is not good but i liked it, it was a very touching movie and Sharon Stone did a great job. I recamend it to those that like touching movies like me.
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Some people might say it is a slow and boring movie and that the plot is not good but i liked it, it was a very touching movie and Sharon Stone did a great job. I recamend it to those that like touching movies like me.
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Dead sexy
kosmasp15 March 2021
Of course this isn't about anything that is remotely sexy. No what I am implying here is the fact that Sharon Stone tried to dip her feet into something not familiar or something people did not see in her: being a sex symbol of the 90s surely had its perks, but also the stigma of not being taken too seriously either. So this was one of the movies she did to show off her talents - in acting and not in figure/beauty.
I never got around watching this before, I had seen the other Death Row movie "Dead Man Walking" with Sean Penn. It's been a while and I need to rewatch that, but I do remember really liking that. Which may have been a reason why this did not get that much attention. There's only so much drama a viewing audience can take. Still this is decent enough and has a powerhouse performance by Stone, even if it may lack in other departments ...
I never got around watching this before, I had seen the other Death Row movie "Dead Man Walking" with Sean Penn. It's been a while and I need to rewatch that, but I do remember really liking that. Which may have been a reason why this did not get that much attention. There's only so much drama a viewing audience can take. Still this is decent enough and has a powerhouse performance by Stone, even if it may lack in other departments ...
Film has bad timing
rosscinema2 June 2003
What did the makers of this film expect? It comes out after a great film like "Dead Man Walking" and the comparisons that were thrown at it were inevitable. Story starts out with a young lawyer named Rick Hayes (Rob Morrow) who with the help of his successful brother John (Peter Gallagher) gets a state appointed job and is given the case of a female death row inmate who is only days away from her execution after 12 years. Hayes goes to the prison to meet Cindy Liggett (Sharon Stone) and what he finds is a very angry and cold person who would rather be executed than get life in prison. Hayes thinks he can make a case with evidence that was not used in her trial but getting Cindy to cooperate is tough. One of the reasons for Hayes working so hard on this case is to prove to his brother that he's a good lawyer and wants to come out of Johns shadow. The film is directed by the terrific Bruce Beresford and technically its a well made film and their is some good use of lighting in certain shots that remind us that some real talent is involved in the making of this picture. But the story just fails and one of the reasons would be of course that it comes out after "Dead Man Walking" is still very fresh in everyones mind. Also, I'm not one of those persons that think that Stone is a bad actress. I think she's very good but can she carry a film all by herself? For the most part, no!. Especially when the film is at a disadvantage like this one when it desperately needed a major box office draw to save it. Stone is very effective when she's not the center of the story. More than just a character actress, but not by much. The character that Stone portrays in this film is also one that is hard to feel anything for. You don't hate her and you don't root for her either. So the viewer is left with a very hollow film and when its over you can't think of one memorable scene. In a film about the death penalty you would think that their would be plenty of very emotional scenes. But when its over, its hard to think of one. The makers of this film really needed to think hard about what they were getting involved with instead of rushing a product into the theaters to try and capitalize on the success of another film. One thing did stand out for me as I watched this. How short is Rob Morrow? Everyone in the film towers over him, including Stone who is no giant. Wasted effort.
Sharon Stone does no dancing on Death Row...
moonspinner5515 April 2006
Death Row inmate Sharon Stone may be put to death by lethal injection if novice clemency lawyer Rob Morrow can't get the government to be sensitive to her case. Flimsy, one-dimensional melodrama tries taking a well-meant stand against the death penalty--but with such shallow characters, it's difficult to become involved. This was yet another bid by Stone to be taken as a serious actress, but instead she's rigid in this part, steely-eyed and dull; only in the film's final third does she shake off the cobwebs. Supporting cast (including Randy Quaid and Skeet Ulrich) is weakly-used and the writing is mediocre throughout. And what about that awful title? ** from ****
What a laugh!
td55016 September 2002
This is probably one of the worst films I've ever seen. Not only is it utterly formulaic and derivative, it has one of the most ludicrous endings in cinema history, so melodramatic that it's unintentionally hilariously funny. When I saw it at the cinema on release, it was one of the few times when the whole audience collapsed laughing at the truly awful ending to a truly dire film.
It's so bad that I would almost recommend seeing it, especially to savour the ending, but the trouble is you'd have to sit through the rest of it, and it's turgid, predictable, uninspired and boring.
It's so bad that I would almost recommend seeing it, especially to savour the ending, but the trouble is you'd have to sit through the rest of it, and it's turgid, predictable, uninspired and boring.
Great spin on the old debate over capital punishment
rooprect27 August 2014
In case you're wondering, yes, "Last Dance" is clearly a film against capital punishment. But what makes it interesting is how it does not dwell on the morality of whether it's right or wrong to execute convicted criminals, but rather it focuses on the corruption of human government which uses lives for political manipulation. Whether you're in favor of capital punishment or not, we can all agree that we shouldn't send people to their deaths just so someone can win an election, right? That's the core theme of this film. One prisoner may be pardoned--why?--not because he's worthy but simply because the public likes him and will vote for any politician who will pardon him. Another prisoner may not be so politically valuable, so he ends up behind the 8 ball.
With this approach in mind, "Last Dance" leads us through a nightmarish labyrinth of human justice where innocence and guilt have nothing to do with punishment. Sharon Stone plays "Cindy" a condemned killer who brutally murdered two people 12 years prior. What follows is not an issue of whether she deserves to live or die, but it's an issue of whether her fate should be determined by a small handful of powerful people with only their own interests in mind.
There's a great line from the movie where one character shirks his responsibility with: "It's just the system" and another character responds "we ARE the system." Without devolving into a cartoonish conspiracy thriller, this film takes a broad and disturbing look at the ongoing failure of human justice. It's reminiscent of Orson Welles' masterpiece "The Trial" in the way that it doesn't accuse any individual culprit but rather the entire collective "system" which seems to perpetuate itself simply by people refusing to take a stand.
While there's not a lot of action, it's definitely a roller-coaster as our hero Ricky (Rob Morrow) struggles to set things right. Don't expect a fast paced flick with car chases and evil villains on his tail. No, this is the real world, and the only villains are his bosses, colleagues and politicians who thwart his progress by simply doing what they do every day.
Excellent acting by Sharon Stone makes you connect with her even though you remain fully aware that she is a killer. There's one fantastic scene in particular where you feel her exasperation come to a boil. It expresses the exasperation of American citizens who are so sick of corruption that they're ready to give up. Meanwhile "Ricky" symbolizes the spirit of the individual who is ready to fight it to the end.
Directed by Bruce Beresford, known for the sentimental "Driving Miss Daisy", this film definitely knows how to tug at your emotions. But at the same time it doesn't lose itself in sappy melodrama.
If movies like this interest you, I highly recommend "Monster" and the accompanying documentary "Aileen Wurnos: Life and Death of a Serial Killer". If you like films that explore the failure of the court system and why it fails, definitely check out the grandfather of such films "12 Angry Men", a slow yet riveting film set entirely within 1 room as jurors expose their own prejudices & selfish interests while deciding the fate of a young boy on trial. Films like these are practically historical documents as well as highly powerful cinema.
With this approach in mind, "Last Dance" leads us through a nightmarish labyrinth of human justice where innocence and guilt have nothing to do with punishment. Sharon Stone plays "Cindy" a condemned killer who brutally murdered two people 12 years prior. What follows is not an issue of whether she deserves to live or die, but it's an issue of whether her fate should be determined by a small handful of powerful people with only their own interests in mind.
There's a great line from the movie where one character shirks his responsibility with: "It's just the system" and another character responds "we ARE the system." Without devolving into a cartoonish conspiracy thriller, this film takes a broad and disturbing look at the ongoing failure of human justice. It's reminiscent of Orson Welles' masterpiece "The Trial" in the way that it doesn't accuse any individual culprit but rather the entire collective "system" which seems to perpetuate itself simply by people refusing to take a stand.
While there's not a lot of action, it's definitely a roller-coaster as our hero Ricky (Rob Morrow) struggles to set things right. Don't expect a fast paced flick with car chases and evil villains on his tail. No, this is the real world, and the only villains are his bosses, colleagues and politicians who thwart his progress by simply doing what they do every day.
Excellent acting by Sharon Stone makes you connect with her even though you remain fully aware that she is a killer. There's one fantastic scene in particular where you feel her exasperation come to a boil. It expresses the exasperation of American citizens who are so sick of corruption that they're ready to give up. Meanwhile "Ricky" symbolizes the spirit of the individual who is ready to fight it to the end.
Directed by Bruce Beresford, known for the sentimental "Driving Miss Daisy", this film definitely knows how to tug at your emotions. But at the same time it doesn't lose itself in sappy melodrama.
If movies like this interest you, I highly recommend "Monster" and the accompanying documentary "Aileen Wurnos: Life and Death of a Serial Killer". If you like films that explore the failure of the court system and why it fails, definitely check out the grandfather of such films "12 Angry Men", a slow yet riveting film set entirely within 1 room as jurors expose their own prejudices & selfish interests while deciding the fate of a young boy on trial. Films like these are practically historical documents as well as highly powerful cinema.
Unnecessary film
cartman_13374 September 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This review contains spoilers!
Sharon Stone stars as a woman on death row, awaiting her execution, when suddenly a young lawyer decides to give it his all to fight for a stay of execution and retrial. Apparently there was exonerating evidence kept out of her trial, about her own abuse and the fact that she was drugged and drunk when she committed the heinous crime. Sharon Stone gives a brilliant performance, but the movie as a whole feels completely unnecessary, both because Dead Man Walking dealt with the same issues a few months earlier, because the mentioned circumstances doesn't really make her any less guilty or less deserving of the death penalty for having robbed two innocent people of their lives, and ultimately because all the efforts of the young lawyer yields no results, and she's ultimately executed. The latter is, along with Sharon Stone's performance, the best thing about the movie, if you ask me, but it still feels like a 103 minute long movie about nothing. An admitted killer got what she deserved, and those closest to her, and a few others who've taken it upon themselves to care, feel sad about it. Nothing new there. And certainly not enough for another movie about it...
Sharon Stone stars as a woman on death row, awaiting her execution, when suddenly a young lawyer decides to give it his all to fight for a stay of execution and retrial. Apparently there was exonerating evidence kept out of her trial, about her own abuse and the fact that she was drugged and drunk when she committed the heinous crime. Sharon Stone gives a brilliant performance, but the movie as a whole feels completely unnecessary, both because Dead Man Walking dealt with the same issues a few months earlier, because the mentioned circumstances doesn't really make her any less guilty or less deserving of the death penalty for having robbed two innocent people of their lives, and ultimately because all the efforts of the young lawyer yields no results, and she's ultimately executed. The latter is, along with Sharon Stone's performance, the best thing about the movie, if you ask me, but it still feels like a 103 minute long movie about nothing. An admitted killer got what she deserved, and those closest to her, and a few others who've taken it upon themselves to care, feel sad about it. Nothing new there. And certainly not enough for another movie about it...
Good Stone,bad plot.
dbdumonteil29 September 2001
Susan Hayward set her standards so high as far as this kind of performance is concerned that every actress who tries her hand at the death row will fatally be compared to her.Robert Wise 's "I want to live" remains vivid in memory .But Sharon Stone walks out with honors.She's a genuine thespian here,giving up glamour,seduction and sophistication ,but not necessarily her basic instincts which led her to the death sentence.She displays restraint in her gestures and her words,her relationship with other inmates rings true,particularly with the black woman.Her interest in art drawing is credible.
Sadly,she's supported neither by the rest of the cast,nor by the plot.Her attentive escort is a rather bland actor,who seems more to go touring round the jail than care for his unfortunate protégée.And what a man!We learn that he is a young man of means whose fortune fluctuates as the years pass by.That's the main flaw:the movie would like to be realistic,it is melodramatic to the core.Outside the lawyer's story,we deal with a black convict,who redeemed himself in jail,who wrote a book,which became a best-seller,and he passed a law degree ,you name it...Alas poor Sharon/Cindy killed a wealthy man's son (and his girlfriend),but she was never given a chance ,being born on the wrong side of town.A glance into her aunt's "house" tells it all.That's too much.
There is a successful short scene.Morrow asks the female victim's mother to sign a petition;and although she's an adept of "thou shalt not kill",she refuses.Hardly one minute,but these few words say a lot more than the preachy chatter of the rest of the plot.But the "false " ending -and there's also a ridiculous Indian epilogue- gives the coup de grâce to the movie.
Sadly,she's supported neither by the rest of the cast,nor by the plot.Her attentive escort is a rather bland actor,who seems more to go touring round the jail than care for his unfortunate protégée.And what a man!We learn that he is a young man of means whose fortune fluctuates as the years pass by.That's the main flaw:the movie would like to be realistic,it is melodramatic to the core.Outside the lawyer's story,we deal with a black convict,who redeemed himself in jail,who wrote a book,which became a best-seller,and he passed a law degree ,you name it...Alas poor Sharon/Cindy killed a wealthy man's son (and his girlfriend),but she was never given a chance ,being born on the wrong side of town.A glance into her aunt's "house" tells it all.That's too much.
There is a successful short scene.Morrow asks the female victim's mother to sign a petition;and although she's an adept of "thou shalt not kill",she refuses.Hardly one minute,but these few words say a lot more than the preachy chatter of the rest of the plot.But the "false " ending -and there's also a ridiculous Indian epilogue- gives the coup de grâce to the movie.
Last Dance
CinemaSerf27 August 2023
"Rick" (Rob Morrow) is an ambitious young attorney charged with what his bosses hope will be the routinely futile clemency case of "Cindy" (Sharon Stone) who is coming to the end of her wait on death row. Initially, she wants little to do with him, but gradually that relationship not only thaws but thrives as he starts to uncover some flaws that might help. What could have been quite a decent story, here, is really delivered in a by-the-numbers fashion. It is a rather pedestrian mystery that swipes at politics, racism and a general professional cynicism amongst his public service colleagues, but in such a lightweight fashion. Moreover, with the sword of Damocles dangling so perilously, there is a distinct lack of passion here. Stone is inherently limited by her role (being incarcerated) but Morrow is just weak, with a persona that though honest of intent, is really not anywhere near strong enough to carry this above a level of mediocrity that makes it all a bit flat and hollow.
suffers from the comparison
SnoopyStyle1 September 2015
John Hayes (Peter Gallagher) is the governor's chief of staff. He gets his disgraced black sheep brother Rick Hayes (Rob Morrow) a job. Sam Burns (Randy Quaid) gives him a meaningless job to write a report on the possibility of clemency for death row inmate Cindy Liggett (Sharon Stone) but the governor never gives clemency. Liggett committed a double murder including the son of a wealthy supporter of the governor. As Rick investigates, he gets thrown off the case. A black prisoner is given clemency for political reasons while Liggett faces death.
This movie suffers badly from the comparison to 'Dead Man Walking'. Sharon Stone's performance is not horrible. This is more of a mystery about a case. The film simply doesn't do a good job with the emotional roller coaster of death row. It goes from stale to overacting. Rob Morrow is actually the lead of this film. He's not a compelling lead slipping in and out of a southern accent. The whole last act is done badly with a romantic sequence tacked on.
This movie suffers badly from the comparison to 'Dead Man Walking'. Sharon Stone's performance is not horrible. This is more of a mystery about a case. The film simply doesn't do a good job with the emotional roller coaster of death row. It goes from stale to overacting. Rob Morrow is actually the lead of this film. He's not a compelling lead slipping in and out of a southern accent. The whole last act is done badly with a romantic sequence tacked on.
Sharon Stone in one of her best roles and performances
Sherazade1 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
she stars as a middle-aged woman on death row for a crime she committed as a teenager who was high on drugs and alcohol. It's really sad because back then, even she was a victim herself, of abuse by her boyfriend as well as people in her immediate family background. But two wrongs don't make a right. Her drunken and drug high resulted in the death of innocent people for which she has gotten stuck serving time while her crazy boyfriend at the time goes score free. The majority of the film is in her lawyer's point of view as he tries desperately to save her from death by lethal injection and in the process falls in love with her. It is stunningly shot though slow paced (and as well it should be, it's a film about the supposed last days of somebody's life Hello!) and brilliantly acted. The best scene is the end scene but I don't want to give too much away. Hint: it has to do with one of the most beautiful wonders of India.
Better than your average John Grisham legal drama
youradviser200514 November 2006
For people who believe in second chances. "Last Dance" belongs to my top 10 lawyer movies of all time below "A Few Good Men," "Class Action" and "The Verdict." I've seen this movie a dozen of times and as a law student I must say that it is better than your average John Grisham legal drama maybe except for "The Rainmaker." This film takes on the professional and ethical dilemma of a young clemency attorney Rick Hayes played by Rob Morrow who befriends a death row inmate convicted of double murder Cindy Liggett played by Sharon Stone. She is about to be executed. He moves heaven and earth to save her from death by lethal injection. The rest of the cast are excellent from Peter Gallagher and Jack Thompson. Randy Quaid gives a very good performance as a sarcastic veteran clemency attorney Sam Burns.
Based on an Actual Case
mantis-1121 September 2004
I just saw this recently, and found it interesting that the details of the case in it follow quite closely those of the controversial execution of Karla Faye Tucker Brown. Karla committed a double murder much like that portrayed in the film, and, like the film's Cindy Liggett, reformed her life in prison. Also like Liggett, she was a fairly attractive, articulate woman who argued eloquently, though futilely, for clemency. Unlike Liggett, however, Karla became a born-again Christian, and her clemency plea was supported by several prominent pastors including Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. It is thus notable that the governor who signed her death warrant was none other than our current, allegedly born-again President, George W. Bush. It is possible that nothing in Bush's checkered career reveals his true character more clearly than his callous, smirking mockery of Karla's dignified plea for her life during an interview with Talk Magazine the year after her execution.
Incidentally, Karla Faye Tucker Brown was killed by the state of Texas in 1998, two years after this film came out. That suggests that the filmmakers might have been trying to to make an argument for clemency, as Errol Morris did for Randall Adams with his documentary "The Thin Blue Line." If so, it failed miserably.
Incidentally, Karla Faye Tucker Brown was killed by the state of Texas in 1998, two years after this film came out. That suggests that the filmmakers might have been trying to to make an argument for clemency, as Errol Morris did for Randall Adams with his documentary "The Thin Blue Line." If so, it failed miserably.
Perfectly crafter , totally underrated
Bishoylouis316 February 2008
I don't know why this movie is so underrated , actually this movie i consider one of the best movies in cinema history , it has great story , amazing plot , fine cast. The scenario is great , there are no cheesy phrases , you can actually see great passion and emotion strong as true, you find yourself wrapped up in the movie and wherever Cindy goes you find yourself in Rick's chair , I think the cast also did a great job conveying a message against hate and spite. In conclusion the movie as a whole is a masterpiece with all great elements of success and thats why such a movie deserves better rating and a wider range of reputation, i totally rate it 10/10
I voting for about the last thirty minutes
joeestlinbm3 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
The last thirty minutes of this movie, explained to me why I had to set through the slow moving, but well acted first seventy three.
I thought I had it figured out, but.... Wow!! I loved this movie!! Sharon Stone Was perfectly cast. No one could have done it better (or as good). There were a few aspects of the movie, and the situations produced that were in my opinion, a little far fetched. Some the folks, who the folks were, and why they were, where they were, made some of their personalities a little hard to accept, so I couldn't in good conscience give it a perfect score. Thanks for letting me express my opinion.
I thought I had it figured out, but.... Wow!! I loved this movie!! Sharon Stone Was perfectly cast. No one could have done it better (or as good). There were a few aspects of the movie, and the situations produced that were in my opinion, a little far fetched. Some the folks, who the folks were, and why they were, where they were, made some of their personalities a little hard to accept, so I couldn't in good conscience give it a perfect score. Thanks for letting me express my opinion.
Much better than Dead Man Walking
vpoholek18 April 2005
Tough-to-watch story about a death row inmate (Stone) and the weeks before her execution. She is on death row for murders committed 10-15 years before, while under influence of alcohol, drugs, crazy boyfriend. Young hotshot lawyer (Morrow) tries to appeal, using evidence that would have cleared her, had it ever been introduced in trial. Story is actually about the struggle of love: romantic, platonic, self-esteem/love of self, love of humanity/against the death penalty. Funny thing happens to this lawyer on the way to death row...he falls in love with his client/prisoner. Is love from afar, as they never have physically intimate moments, but audience can feel the love/passion/heartbreak unfold on screen. Best performance for Stone, who believably delivers line after line of heart-wrenching, white trash, prison living drama. Not only do you feel for her, and Morrow's lawyer character, but you begin to re-examine your stance on prison and the death penalty. My heart broke, and I sobbed, when she uttered the line, "I ain't gonna beg for something I'm not gonna get." She is referring to the compassion and forgiveness her lawyer went to seek from her victims' families. You will struggle to keep it together during this movie, and will need time to emotionally recover afterwards. I cried as much as when I watched Saving Private Ryan. Both movies should be part of your permanent collection.
A very disturbing,and scary movie,but if you feels like you are ready to see it,give this a chance.
board-513 August 2009
For me personally that is always a real torture to watch type of movies,like this was,I feel myself so lucky from some reasons why I had seen a movie,without the danger of somebody wants to execute me.
Sharon Stone is absolutely great in this role,and I saying this against,I'am absolutely not a fan of her acting,and movies.
All the way I have to say,be careful,and think again before you see this,cause this film is enough strong to change your mood,and maybe is not for everybody.
I feels like the script wants to be independent,about the question,but it is not work well all the time,but when they really wants to say they has personal opinions,that is also directly keeps distance.
7/10
Sharon Stone is absolutely great in this role,and I saying this against,I'am absolutely not a fan of her acting,and movies.
All the way I have to say,be careful,and think again before you see this,cause this film is enough strong to change your mood,and maybe is not for everybody.
I feels like the script wants to be independent,about the question,but it is not work well all the time,but when they really wants to say they has personal opinions,that is also directly keeps distance.
7/10
Sharon: wonderful.
jazerbini1 August 2014
One of the best performances of Sharon Stone, no doubt. Just as in "Year of the Gun", Sharon demonstrates a full familiarity with the cameras giving credibility to the character, very difficult to be interpreted by the high load of emotion. It is surprising to some extent, because Sharon always appears in his films for its incredible beauty, but in this film in which he plays a prisoner on death row, has a unique opportunity to demonstrate their talent and she does it very well. It is a monumental film and can not fail to be seen.Where demanded more of his dramatic talent, Sharon did not disappoint. Just see her also in "Casino" another film in which she appears fine, leveling up to the first team of movie stars and not only for their beauty but for their talent.
Thou Shalt Not Kill... Not Even Cindy Liggett.
sol121830 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
****SPOILERS**** Tense and nail biting film about a person convicted of a double murder Cindy Liggett, Sharon Stone, waiting to be executed by the state as time as well as her life slowly ticks away form her.
There's absolutely no doubt in Cindy'd crime since she freely admitted to it and is even willing to pay for it with her life. It's her clemency court appointed attorney Rick Hayes, Rob Morrow, who feels that she's getting a raw deal in being sentenced to death when there are extenuating circumstances that would have at least speared her life if made public at Cindy's murder trial. The fact that Cindy was high on crack cocaine together with her boyfriend and accomplice Doug, Don Harvey, should have at least gotten her a life sentence,in the crime not being premeditated, then a one way trip to the state's execution chamber. In fact it was Doug who got off with a life stance who's testimony sent Cindy straight to death row.
Sharon Stone in a rare non glamorous role steals the show or movie as the convicted murderess Cindy Liggett who only wants to have the state end it all for her despite her lawyer Rick Hayes doing everything possible to prevent that from happening. Eevn though you know that Cindy is guilty and deserves what's coming to her, a lethal injection, Stone's acting is so electrifying in not wanting to live that you just can't help pulling for her lawyer Rick Hayes to get her off not for Sharon's or Cindy's sake but for the legal and moral augments that Rick makes in her favor!
***MAJOR SPOILERS*** Heart-dropping final that has everyone, even those who want Cindy to get it, rooting for Rick to get a stay of execution for Cindy even though it's hard to make a case for her not being executed. Up until the end Rick, who by then was thrown off the case, did everything in his power to save Cindy's life that it even had the pro death penalty Governor,Jack Thompson, almost on his side. And it was in the end that Rick despite his best efforts realized that Cindy was right all along in not wanting to live. And finally accepted what fate had in store for both Cindy and himself: A peace that Cindy never knew in her entire young life that in her paying for her crimes would end up giving her.
There's absolutely no doubt in Cindy'd crime since she freely admitted to it and is even willing to pay for it with her life. It's her clemency court appointed attorney Rick Hayes, Rob Morrow, who feels that she's getting a raw deal in being sentenced to death when there are extenuating circumstances that would have at least speared her life if made public at Cindy's murder trial. The fact that Cindy was high on crack cocaine together with her boyfriend and accomplice Doug, Don Harvey, should have at least gotten her a life sentence,in the crime not being premeditated, then a one way trip to the state's execution chamber. In fact it was Doug who got off with a life stance who's testimony sent Cindy straight to death row.
Sharon Stone in a rare non glamorous role steals the show or movie as the convicted murderess Cindy Liggett who only wants to have the state end it all for her despite her lawyer Rick Hayes doing everything possible to prevent that from happening. Eevn though you know that Cindy is guilty and deserves what's coming to her, a lethal injection, Stone's acting is so electrifying in not wanting to live that you just can't help pulling for her lawyer Rick Hayes to get her off not for Sharon's or Cindy's sake but for the legal and moral augments that Rick makes in her favor!
***MAJOR SPOILERS*** Heart-dropping final that has everyone, even those who want Cindy to get it, rooting for Rick to get a stay of execution for Cindy even though it's hard to make a case for her not being executed. Up until the end Rick, who by then was thrown off the case, did everything in his power to save Cindy's life that it even had the pro death penalty Governor,Jack Thompson, almost on his side. And it was in the end that Rick despite his best efforts realized that Cindy was right all along in not wanting to live. And finally accepted what fate had in store for both Cindy and himself: A peace that Cindy never knew in her entire young life that in her paying for her crimes would end up giving her.
Death sentence: good or not?
Fox-5422 April 1999
This movie is an attack to death sentences, it shows how these ones can be cruel and how someone can change after understanding his own mistakes. The idea is good but not the realization: this movie is slow and boring. But here there is a very lovely Sharon Stone: here she shows to be a very good actress, beside being a very very beautiful woman. Conclusion: just watch it on TV.
Cruelty of the justice
lis-soft12 February 2005
Last Dance is very much a tragic film. Why are some people so spiteful and hateful? The murder committed in this film occurred 12 years ago. That time in prison is punishment enough, but the judge sentenced her to execution. Most people with the governor's office are complete bloodsuckers who only think of themselves. The priest in the movie even looked happy for this execution. You can tell that he isn't god's servant. He should protect the girl from execution, but he only smiles and leads her to death. The jailers that are serving time with her look very realistic. They understand that the woman doesn't deserve to die. God said he who forgives will be forgiven. He who does not forgive will not be forgiven. This film tells us that everyone should not do such things and that anyone can kill a man, but nobody can resurrect a man.
Worth Watching
msmstockin26 May 2012
This movie though it is based on a tragic event and very hard to watch in parts, it shows something about the human heart which is invaluable. That is, that human beings are capable of immense compassion for other humans beings, which stems from the knowledge that we all share common bonds and deserve such compassion regardless of our life circumstances. A very touching movie to see this lawyer connect with this woman in such a way. This movie has a message well worth seeing. In addition the acting in this movie was very good and Sharon Stone did a superb job as well as Rob Marrow. I would recommend this movie for the above reasons, but be prepared for some shocking material.
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