Last Orders is a British set comedy drama about a bunch of friends who have been asked to scatter their late friend's ashes in the seaside town of Margate. The story is a sober but enjoyable one and although the film is maybe a little dull at times, it still manages to be one of reflection and humour that are very well mixed together. Starring such actors as Michael Caine, Helen Mirren, Bob Hoskins and Ray Winstone, this is one film with a real Crème de la crème of British talent and also one that for some people could be a real highlight.As said I did feel the plot plays out a little boring at moments but it never gets so dragged down in dullness that it becomes bad. The whole tone is never really happy even in the well, happiest of times, something always seems to come a long to make the moment a little sadder and this is one reason I couldn't ever love this film. Having said that all the sadness surrounding the passing of Michael Caine's character Jack and the spreading of his ashes is one of fine characters, each with unique personalities and back stories which interweave into each other's very nicely.I felt of all the acting on show here it is really Helen Mirren who shows off her talent and is just fantastic as Amy(Jack's widow) who is a depressed yet lovable character, caring for her intellectually disabled daughter who has never said a word to her in her life. It is all yet again rather sad but Amy has been created to be just used to it all, even Jack's death we see has bothered but not broken her, she is just a sad person but one who can still have a laugh now and again. Bob Hoskins is good as Ray who is Jack's best mate and he seems to bring a good presence to the screen alongside all the others. One more person to compliment is Ray Winstone as Jack's adopted son Vince, Winstone seems to work the character rather well, blending an honest man with a man who also has demons and anger, brought out a lot by the character of Lenny(David Hemmings).I couldn't help but feel this is a kind of movie that tried to maybe push for awards, and it did work, but maybe not on the level they really wanted. Sure Mirren deserved the credit but as a picture this is nothing special, the kind of movie that is alright don't get me wrong but just not good for numerous reasons. Fred Schepisi is not one of those reasons, I mean I didn't think either his directing or writing were great but importantly they are steady and make the picture one that is a close one, where you connect with the characters, Schepisi really tries to draw you in and make it as if these people are real.I think this movie is the kind of thing that sure, on a quiet Sunday lazing about, this is the kind of thing that may just be very enjoyable. I felt throughout the film goes for the sweet stuff from the first minute with heart and emotion everywhere trying to hit you hard so you too maybe shed a tear. For me this isn't strong enough a movie to make me sad but I do admit there are scenes in it(especially with Mirren in them) that make your heart drop, and the scenes to be fair with her daughter are both heartbreaking but also show us Mirren's complete talent.

To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of this film or the novel of which it is based on, until I happened to pick it up in a shop. The very fact it starred Bob Hoskins and Michael Caine was enough reason to buy it. What I love about this film is the simple story about a group of close friends who have gone through life together as drinking buddies in South London. It resembles so closely the traits, personality and conversations that all of us will recognise. The basic story is Jack (Caine) has requested that his ashes be scattered into the sea off the end of Margate Pier, the story follows the journey made by his best mate Lucky (Hoskins), Lenny and Vic, plus his son Vince (a young looking Ray Winstone). Through numerous flashbacks we build a picture of their lives through the years, highs and lows. Its a lovely film, and to be perfectly honest the ending gave me a lump in my throat.

Graham Swift's 'Last Orders' is a fine story about a collection of old men and their baggage (in every sense of that word); translated into a movie by Fred Schepisi, it provides an outing for a number of fine British actors who do a good job in bringing their characters out from the page. The film as a whole, however, is less successful than its source. Partly this is because of the difficulty that films have in weaving as seamlessly between the past and the present as books can: the movie is always unambiguously in one time or the other, and switching between them, whereas the original could roam as freely as thoughts; perhaps the structure should have been more substantially altered, to make it more suitably cinematic (for example, the story of each man could have been told in succession). And maybe because of this, the quiet drama of the story of Ray never comes out quite as clearly as it does in the book. But it's still fun to enjoy the interactions of the cast.

I just watched this movie for the first time recently and I was incredibly touched by it. It is about four friends going to Margate to scatter the ashes of their late friend, Jack (and father to one of them), intertwined with a subplot of Jack's widow, Amy, reminiscing with one of the four remaining friends, Ray, about her late husband. There is great potential for an over-sentimentalization of Jack, but luckily, the movie remembers the character in a touching, humorous, and heart-warming way that is anything but sappy. The actors have a wonderful camaraderie, making you believe that these characters really are the best of friends, as opposed to actors trying to pretend at friendship. I especially enjoyed the scenes between Amy and Ray, played by Helen Mirren and Bob Hoskins, who I think both did some of the best acting I have ever seen, in this film. They were so incredibly natural at portraying their characters that I completely forgot that I was watching two actors act. They also had such wonderful chemistry on screen, appearing so at ease with each other, as only people who've known each other for years can, that it makes me wonder if the actors are friends in real life as well.This is a poignant movie about friendship that portrays this human relationship remarkably realistically on screen. Highly recommended!