The Last Supper (1996)

65% of critics liked it
(31 reviews)
66% of users liked it
(7,670 ratings)

If you met Adolph Hitler when he was just a struggling cartoonist, wouldn't you have done the world a big favor by murdering him? That philosophical question provides the linchpin of this black comedy. Jude (Cameron Diaz), Pete (Ron Eldard), Paulie (Annabeth Gish), Marc (Jonathan Penner), and Luke… More If you met Adolph Hitler when he was just a struggling cartoonist, wouldn't you have done the world a big favor by murdering him? That philosophical question provides the linchpin of this black comedy. Jude (Cameron Diaz), Pete (Ron Eldard), Paulie (Annabeth Gish), Marc (Jonathan Penner), and Luke (Courtney B. Vance) are five graduate students who are confirmed members of the political left, participate in small-scale activism, and share a house together. One night, Pete is stuck in the middle of nowhere, and Zack (Bill Paxton), a truck driver, gives him a lift home. The housemates are just about to sit down to dinner, so to show his gratitude, Pete asks Zack to join them. However, it soon becomes obvious that Zack doesn't share the group's political views, and when he states that he thinks Hitler had the right idea, the argument turns into a fight, with Zack brandishing a knife. The trucker is accidentally killed in the scuffle, and rather than report the death to the police, his body is buried in the backyard vegetable garden. However, the event prompts much discussion among the housemates -- if Zack was a hateful bigot, isn't the world better off without him? And wouldn't killing other ignorant hatemongers improve society all the more? Before long, the group is having a weekly dinner party in which they invite a special guest -- including an anti-environmental activist (Jason Alexander), a right-wing religious leader (Charles Durning), a sexist who doesn't believe there's such a thing as rape (Mark Harmon), and a teenager campaigning against sex education in schools (Erin Bryn) -- and serve them some wine, which happens to be laced with arsenic. While the group's attempt at community improvement does wonders for their tomato plants, the recent disappearances eventually attract the attention of the local sheriff (Nora Dunn). The Last Supper was the first feature for director Stacy Title, who won an Academy Award for her short subject Down on the Waterfront; screenwriter Dan Rosen appears in a supporting role as a police deputy. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Stacy Title
Written By: Dan Rosen
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 5, 1996 Wide
On DVD: Jan 7, 2003
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Rita Kempley, Washington Post
This sour, repetitive fare fails to feed our hunger for either laughter or enlightenment. It's all empty calories and reactionary chic.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
As the body count gets higher, and the housemates begin to question their high-and-mighty purposes, the movie stumbles under its sophomoric moral weight.
Emanuel Levy, Variety
This low-budgeter that "came out of nowhere" is a fresh, pungent tale about Right and Left--and Right and Left--in contempo American politics, well-acted by a gifted ensmeble, including the young Cameron Diaz.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
The Last Supper shows some darkly effective visual style, but it has none of the wit needed to save such a story from lumbering obviousness and sophomoric political debate.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
You know you're in good hands in The Last Supper from the well-directed first scene.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
A brave effort in a timid time, a Swiftian attempt to slap us all in the face and get us to admit that our own freedoms depend precisely on those of our neighbors, our opponents and, yes, our enemies.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
Deliciously Dark!
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
It falls apart, but the cool cast and caustic script will leave most right-thinking people well satisfied.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
The flick seems like a long and well-told joke; one that's enjoyable to listen to despite the lack of a truly resounding punchline.
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
The Last Supper clearly shows that the noble principles are of little use when people can't overcome their lack of common sense.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Great premise. Lousy movie.
Darrin Keene, Film Threat
The film's premise will undoubtedly lure in the liberal faction. They'll be in for a surprise.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Black comedy about the moral emptiness of all politically activated violence.

Read all 13 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Lucas M

Tense and scary black comedy, with a really good message. Well done.
Dead A

This is the reason why I hate politics. You welcome yourself into this shit, you become a killer even if you don't want to. The only part I enjoyed is the food. I must say those looked delicious <a href='http://www.mysmiley.net' title='smiley… More
This is the reason why I hate politics. You welcome yourself into this shit, you become a killer even if you don't want to. The only part I enjoyed is the food. I must say those looked delicious <a href='http://www.mysmiley.net' title='smiley emoticons'><img src='http://serve.mysmiley.net/tongue/tongue0026.gif' alt='smiley emoticons' border='0'></a>. And the ending was nice. Serves them right to act like a God.
Candy R

Black comedy about students discussing current affairs with dinner guests, which leads to murder. Good cast, sees a young Cameron Diaz. Good plot and ending.
Anthony L

A fun black comedy where no Religious or political view is safe.
Curtis L

Pretty fun poke at political extremists. Short, and the movie doesn't really go anywhere but at the table, but it was fun for a lazy monday night.
Stuart B

You know what, I prefered the bigotted people they killed than these annoying liberals...
Jason S

This is a good flick that is a little twisted and funny. It has a full cast and really makes you think about the people you hang out with.
Nate H

The concept had potential, but I don't understand why they'd approach a black comedy with such sobriety. It's some sort of treatise on tolerance and free speech, I think, but the not-very-ambiguous ending didn't do much to drive a point home or make this one… More
The concept had potential, but I don't understand why they'd approach a black comedy with such sobriety. It's some sort of treatise on tolerance and free speech, I think, but the not-very-ambiguous ending didn't do much to drive a point home or make this one worthwhile.
Marion R

An interesting dark comedy. It has some funny moments, but there were one or two sex scenes that felt out of place and were unnecessary. Okay if you want a couple laughs.
Christopher B

Interesting film where the victims are more interesting than the killers, but I'm pretty sure that's what the director intended.

Read all 10 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Cameron Diaz as Jude

            Ron Eldard as Pete

            Annabeth Gish as Paulie

            Jonathan Penner as Marc

            Courtney B. Vance as Luke

            Jason Alexander as The Anti-Environmentalist

            Nora Dunn as Sheriff Alice Stanley

            Charles Durning as Rev. Gerald Hutchens

            Mark Harmon as Todd Thatcher

            Amy Hill as Illegal Alien Hater

            Bill Paxton as Zack

            Ron Perlman as Norman Arbuthnot

            Steve Welch as Tow Truck Guy

            Bryn Erin as Heather

            Matt Cooper as Jerk in Coffee Shop

            Dan Rosen as Deputy Hartford

            Larry Weinberg as Businessman with White Socks

            Elisabeth Moss as Jenny

            Nick Sadler as Homeless Basher

            Rachel Chagall as Abortion Activist

            Amber Taylor as Girl in Coffee Shop

            Pamela Gien as Illiterate Librarian

            Warren Hutcherson as Nation Man

            Frederick Lawrence as Skin Head

            Gil Segel as Iowa Resident at Door

            Carly Webb as Young Jude
See full cast

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