THE LAST WORD
An engaging comedy about repentance, forgiveness, and second chances.
Should You Watch It?
THE LAST WORD earns three stars because it is engaging, entertaining, and anchored by a stellar performance from Shirley MacLaine. Its witty lines, lighthearted music, upbeat road-trip scenes, dancing, and diner moments give a heavy story a buoyant spirit.
The film’s strongest gift is its moral center. It argues that life is short, but change, repentance, forgiveness, prayer, love, compassion, and selflessness are still possible. That message may encourage viewers who feel trapped by their past.
But the movie’s R rating matters. The content includes 31 obscenities, several “f” words, strong alcohol use and drunkenness, and references to suicide at the beginning. Those concerns make this a movie for discerning adults, not a family selection.
If you are an adult who can engage those issues with care, THE LAST WORD is worth watching; for family movie night, choose something else.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESHarriet Lauler is a retired, elderly businesswoman with money, a beautiful home, and a painful past. Lonely and estranged from her daughter, she decides she wants to control how people remember her.
Harriet hires Anne, a young local obituary writer, to create the perfect account of her life. When Anne discovers that Harriet has hurt many people, Harriet realizes she must do more than edit words on a page. She sets out to change her life while there is still time.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means THE LAST WORD is a good, engaging comedy with notable strengths and some predictable weaknesses. Shirley MacLaine gives a stellar performance, and the filmmakers use witty lines, lighthearted music, upbeat scenes, dancing, and diner moments to keep the story moving.
The story includes cheesy lines and predictable scenes, but its uplifting and rather moving ending gives the film emotional weight. The combination of heavy subject matter and a lighthearted spirit makes the movie entertaining, even when it does not surprise.
The Worldview
THE LAST WORD presents a strong Christian, moral worldview centered on redemption. Harriet reflects on her life and seeks to do good before she dies. The film promotes forgiveness through Christ, love, compassion, selflessness, and prayer.
Its Christian elements are direct. A mother tells her daughter that she prays for her daily. A family sits in church at a funeral, a crucifix is displayed inside the church, a pastor leads the funeral, and the story implies that Harriet was an avid churchgoer.
The film also portrays the possibility of change, repentance, and forgiveness. Harriet’s desire to leave a good imprint on the world is expressed through good works, relationships, and attempts to make amends. At the same time, the story includes dysfunctional family relationships, envy, revenge, lying, drinking as a coping mechanism, and suicide-related material.
The film’s central hope is that a person’s past does not have to be the final word. Scripture gives that hope its deepest foundation: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong Christian, redemptive, moral worldview promotes forgiveness through Christ, love, compassion, and selflessness, older woman reflects on her life and seeks to do good works before she dies, mother tells daughter she prays for her daily, family sits in church at a funeral, crucifix displayed inside church, pastor leads funeral, and there’s an implication that older woman was an avid church goer; 31 obscenities (including several “f” words); light violence includes references to suicide (woman in a hospital who “accidentally” took some pills with some wine is surrounded by other ill, suicidal patients) and frustrated woman throws spaghetti sauce against a wall; no sexual immorality but a young man and woman kiss on the lips inside a closet after a first date; no explicit nudity, but one scene of young woman in bra and underwear swimming in a lake; strong alcohol use and some drunkenness includes woman drinks a bottle of wine by herself, woman drinks large amounts of wine when she feels lonely, woman drinks whiskey alone in her house and gets drunk, young man and woman drink whiskey at a bar on a date, woman drinks whiskey with co-workers, alcohol is used as coping mechanism; no smoking, but woman overdoses on pills and ends up in hospital but recovers; and, strong, miscellaneous immorality including lying, revenge, envy, and depiction of a dysfunctional family.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Harriet wants to be remembered for doing good, but what matters more than a good reputation? How can your actions reflect genuine repentance?
Matthew 3:8 · 2 Corinthians 7:10The film presents prayer as a source of help in difficult times. When have you seen prayer change the way someone faces hardship?
Philippians 4:6–7 · James 5:16Harriet seeks to make amends with people she has hurt. What makes an apology honest, and what does forgiveness require?
Matthew 5:23–24 · Ephesians 4:32The story portrays loneliness, drinking, and family dysfunction. How can Christians respond to someone who is hurting without excusing destructive choices?
Galatians 6:2 · Ephesians 4:15The Final Word
THE LAST WORD is an engaging, uplifting comedy with a stellar Shirley MacLaine performance and a meaningful message about change, repentance, forgiveness, and prayer. Its excessive language, strong drinking content, and suicide references make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, it is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For family movie night, see.
