Final (2001)

42% of critics liked it
(38 reviews)
30% of users liked it
(1,293 ratings)

A man struggles to prove he isn't insane -- which is no mean feat when you're certain you're been transported 400 years into the future. Anne (Hope Davis) is a psychiatrist working at a hospital for the criminally insane whose latest charge is Bill Tyler (Denis Leary), a man who was recently… More A man struggles to prove he isn't insane -- which is no mean feat when you're certain you're been transported 400 years into the future. Anne (Hope Davis) is a psychiatrist working at a hospital for the criminally insane whose latest charge is Bill Tyler (Denis Leary), a man who was recently admitted when he was found inside a wrecked truck found in a quarry. Bill isn't sure just where he is or what's happened to him, but he's certain he's traveled four centuries into the future, and if he can't find a way to get back to the past within 48 hours, assassins will execute him by lethal injection. Anne is bemused by Bill's odd story, but doesn't challenge him on it, instead questioning him in detail about everything he can recall about his past prior to being brought in. As Bill rants about lasers and holographic images, shares his periodic hallucinations, and discusses his feelings about his family and his former girlfriend, he becomes increasingly lucid, and Anne has to figure out how much of Bill's story is fantasy, and how much is fact. Final was written by Bruce McIntosh, who based the script on his own stage play; the feature (shot on digital video) was directed by actor Campbell Scott. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 51 min.
Directed By: Campbell Scott
Written By: Bruce McIntosh
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Dec 7, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Jun 25, 2002
Studio: Cowboy Pictures

Critic Reviews

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
One of the slowest-moving films in a long, long, long while.
Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle
A surprisingly effective, off-beat little movie.
Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News
Emerges as engrossing and thought-provoking.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
Shot digitally, Final is less than terrific technically; focus and sound levels waver. Luckily, these flaws are not inconsistent with the film's raw, unvarnished tone.
Claudia Puig, USA Today
Leary -- and the film itself -- keeps the audience off guard.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
The pace suddenly picks up and the pieces of the puzzle start falling into place for Bill and for the audience.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Worth it for Leary fans who want to see him stretch a bit.
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com
While vaguely reminiscent of VANILLA SKY, it lacks the pretty big-name stars, the sci-fi trappings, and the cop-out ending - and is all the better for it.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...this semi-interesting premise has been stretched incredibly thin over the course of close to two hours...
KJ Doughton, Film Threat
Final's redundant, stiff, colorless meetings between Bill and Ann are staged at such a leisurely pace that we're waiting for someone to shut them up and provide some real tension.
Christopher Varney, Film Threat
Best known as a gritty wiseass, Denis Leary creates a fine dramatic performance as Bill, as does his co-star Hope Davis whose screen presence is glacial and entirely believable.
Tom Block, culturevulture.net
A lifeless vacuum.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
In the end, Final simply doesn't have much going for it.
Rob Blackwelder, SPLICEDWire
...an ever-present potential for both greater depth and goosepimply plot developments goes largely unrealized.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
A movie that tries your patience but, finally, rewards it handsomely.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
Basically it's cable-ready, and it shouldn't be long in getting there.