About The Last Word

The Last Word is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Mark Pellington, from a screenplay by Stuart Ross Fink. It follows the story of Harriet Lauler, a retired businesswoman who tries to control everything around her. When she decides to write her own obituary, a young journalist takes up the task of finding out the truth resulting in a life-altering friendship.

Making / Production

The film was produced by Kirk D'Amico, Anne Marie Mackay and Mark Pellington. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2017, and was later released in the United States in March 2017 by Bleecker Street.

Actors

• Shirley MacLaine as Harriet Lauler. She played an intense, controlling character who undergoes a transformation throughout the film.
• Amanda Seyfried as Anne Sherman. Seyfried portrayed a young obituary writer, entering into an unlikely friendship with Lauler.
• Anne Heche as Elizabeth. She depicts Lauler's estranged daughter, further complicated the family dynamics.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film's premiere was held at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017.
• Despite playing mother and daughter, Shirley MacLaine and Anne Heche are only 14 years apart in real life.

Awards

No significant awards have been recorded for this film.

Quotes

• "No one really cares what you have to say until you’re the one saying it." - Harriet Lauler
• "The thought of leaving my obituary to chance is completely unreasonable to me." - Harriet Lauler

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's background score was provided by Nathan Matthew David.
• The soundtrack of the film included songs like "Ophelia" by The Lumineers and "Who's to Say" by Vanessa Carlton.