The Last Kiss (L'Ultimo bacio) (2001)

73% of critics liked it
(78 reviews)
76% of users liked it
(6,746 ratings)

Parenthood stirs up a wealth of mixed emotions in this drama from Italy. Carlo (Stefano Accorsi) and Giulia (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) are a couple in their late twenties who realize they've crossed the final threshold into adulthood when Giulia discovers she's going to have a baby. Even though Carlo… More Parenthood stirs up a wealth of mixed emotions in this drama from Italy. Carlo (Stefano Accorsi) and Giulia (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) are a couple in their late twenties who realize they've crossed the final threshold into adulthood when Giulia discovers she's going to have a baby. Even though Carlo has already settled down, he sees parenthood as the first step towards becoming the sort of middle-class suburbanite he's never respected, and he's not happy about it. Carlo's friends are also having mixed feelings about the onset of maturity: Adriano (Giorgio Pasotti) can't decide if he should go through with his marriage to Livia (Sabrina Impacciatore), Paolo (Claudio Santamaria) is trying to find a way out of going into business with his father, and Alberto (Marco Cocci) seems to be waging a one-man war against monogamy by seducing as many women as possible. Meanwhile, Giulia is having her own misgivings about parenthood, and her mother Anna (Stefania Sandrelli) is torn between happiness for her daughter and dread that she's now old enough to be a grandmother; Anna's malaise isn't eased by the lack of compassion shown by her husband (Luigi Diberti). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 55 min.
Directed By: Gabriele Muccino
Written By: Gabriele Muccino
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 16, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Nov 11, 2003
Studio: ThinkFilm

Critic Reviews

Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
The film skates by on charm, wit and a firm belief that commitment is always the best choice.
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
Although it gives us more characters than we can easily keep count of, it's hard to care about any of them.
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The lively appeal of The Last Kiss lies in the ease with which it integrates thoughtfulness and pasta-fagioli comedy.
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel
The movie does a good job of laying out some of the major issues that we encounter as we journey through life.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
More tiring than anything.
, Boston Globe
The Last Kiss isn't all that challenging; it torments its characters but leaves the audience relatively unscathed. But more movies should be so funny and perceptive, with writing this sharp and acting this believable.
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness
Repackages messy human dilemmas into something neat, tidy and oh-so-manipulatively inspiring.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...the viewer is unable to forge any kind of an emotional connection to these people.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
Writer-director Muccino keeps things very energetic, with fluid and complicated camera work capturing people who are bursting with personality.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
It's simply there, trying desperately to be meaningful by having its actors rev up the volume of their dialogue.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Leave it to those crazy Italians to make a light, breezy, stylish, romantic comedy that is not a whit light, breezy, stylish, romantic, or funny.
Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing
[The film] tackles the topic of relationships in such a straightforward, emotionally honest manner that by the end, it's impossible to ascertain whether the film is, at its core, deeply pessimistic or quietly hopeful.
Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer
The vigorous, unsubtle acting provides consistent pleasure, once you stop expecting it to seem realistic.
Merle Bertrand, Film Threat
Makes a good chick flick for guys who want to appear artsy by taking their date to a foreign language film.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Stefanie C

this is a great movie! the american version doesn't even compare since it was homogeonized and removed the pain and true comedy. strong performances by all actors. i found the ending truly funny.
Leo L

Fantastic!
Daisy M

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i32.tinypic.com/27yrew0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> for sexuality, language, drug use. L'Ultimo Bacio was a movie,… More
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i32.tinypic.com/27yrew0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> for sexuality, language, drug use. L'Ultimo Bacio was a movie, in which some men will recognize themselves in. The movie was based on what most men feel as they are approaching, the age of 30, where its expected to grow up, marry or start a family. These are important decisions and sometimes they are not ready in making them yet. So they start doing the most funny things, which sometimes don't have happy ending at all. I highly recommend this movie. Love it.