THE LAST LAUGH

US, 2019, 98 minutes, Colour.
Chevy Chase, Richard Dreyfuss, Andie Mac Dowell, George Wallace, Kate Micucci, Chris Parnell, Lewis Black, Richard Kind.
Directed by Greg Pritikin.

This is a comedy made for Netflix distribution. It is obviously a film for the older generations and for those who remember the stars in their heyday.

Chevy Chase was very successful in the 1970s into the 1990s with all kinds of comedies, yet his having to be a straight man, looking bewildered, rolling his eyes, in the face of more explicit comic types. This is certainly the case here as he plays Al against Richard Dreyfuss as Buddy (playing 10 years older than he actually was). Dreyfuss shows what a master of drama he can be as well is in comedy and pathos. He is a stand-up comedian who tells funny jokes and can entertain (except when he misjudges his redneck Texas audience).

The first part of the film is in a home for the elderly, Al going at the urging of his granddaughter, getting manic tour of the establishment only for Buddy to reveal himself as an old friend from 50 years earlier. Al was a workaholic, wants to get on the road, remembers Buddy’s shtick 50 years earlier (retiring from comedy to become a successful podiatrist).

And so the film becomes a road film, quite attractive photography in a range of places including Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Chicago, New York City.

There is an expected pathos with Buddy having terminal pancreatic cancer and Al not knowing this until the end.

On the whole, the film is very entertaining although there are some lulls (and a lot of tiring swearing), some audiences more interested in Buddy than in Al’s encountering artist, Doris (Andie Mac Dowell) and a strange surrealistic scene of music, an empty theatre, Buddy seeming to die.

But, allowances made, there are quite a number of entertaining scenes in the film, especially with Richard Dreyfuss and his jokes.

1. A comedy about old-timers, for old-timers – and a wider audience?

2. The comic skills of the stars? Ample opportunity to show their skills?

3. A road film, the range of locations from California to Arizona, to New Mexico, to Texas, to Illinois, to New York City? A colourful scenic tour? Along with a number of small clubs and performances? The musical score?

4. The title, and its fulfilment at the end?

5. The introduction to Al, Chevy Chase and his comic style, the straight man to Buddy, his age, a workaholic, his past as an agent and his success, the discussions about ageing, his loneliness, going to the home, the zany tour guide and the revelation of Buddy? His moving in? The routines, meals, chats, Buddy and his lady friend, the range of performances, songs, magicians? The effect on him?

6. Buddy, his background, stand-up comedy, leaving it behind, a successful podiatrist, his son not knowing this? The man tour guide? Revealing himself? The bond with Al? Life in the home? His enjoying it? The audience not knowing about his terminal cancer, the later revelation?

7. The decision to go on the road, Al and his ideas, Buddy agreeing, his capacity for telling jokes, audiences laughing?

8. The car, the farewell from the other people in the home, Sunshine Johnny and his comments? The old people and their senses of humour, enjoying the concerts, resigned to age or not?

9. The bookings, the wrong Palace, down the road, Buddy and his nervousness, on stage, tentative, cracking the jokes, the repartee with the heckler, success? The effect on Buddy? Al, anxious, applauding, success? Continuing on, the venues, the performances, the motels, the drives, Buddy and the marijuana? The visit to Texas and Buddy completely mistiming?

10. Al, walking around, the encounter with Doris, listening to her reading, a pleasant free spirit personality, having the coffee with him, his confiding in her, advising him to walk with his shoes off, touching the ground? Buddy, upset, at Al’s absence? Yet agreeing to Doris travelling with them?

11. Doris, her background, sharing? Al’s hesitation about spending the night? Buddy urging him? Doris and drugs? Al’s hallucination, Buddies performance, his granddaughter, the empty theatre, Buddy and his leaving? The audience assuming that Buddy had died?

12. Chicago, the granddaughter and the son turning up, their concern? Buddy’s cancer, the drugs? Al not realising? The effect on him? Doris leaving?

13. Al and his phone calls, the deal about the television show, being turned down? Going to New York, his going to see Max, pleading, the bribe? Max and his hypocritical introduction, Buddy going out on stage, the son and the granddaughter applauding, his success, an entertaining performance, the old people watching, Doris watching?

14. Buddy, going out as he would wished, a success, the last laugh? The effect on Al – and his returning to Doris, and his posing for her sculpture?