The Last Deal (2023) User Reviews

indie B-movie thriller

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 10 July 2023]

Vincent (Anthony Molinari) runs his weed dispensary business in California. He makes a killing in 2015 in the murky legality. In 2016, a referendum legalizes marijuana in the state and his troubles begin. His business slowly dies from competition, over-regulation, and corrupt officials. He can't get the right license. His business partner Bobby comes to him with a desperate last deal.

Vincent strikes me a bit of a meathead. He is out of his depths. Anthony Molinari doesn't have big star power, but he does fit the character somewhat. I saw the double-cross from a mile away. I figured that they planted a tracker on the truck. It seems really careless to leave the weed in an unguarded warehouse. If it was me, I would secure that stuff before I take a nap. The last act has lots of violence which is a little jarring. The violence level jumps from a two to a full ten rather quickly. Some of killings don't feel real. Maybe, they're not set up well enough. This is a B-movie. The lead is a B-actor. It's a lot of Bs.

VIEWS ON FILM review of The Last Deal

[burlesonjesse5 · 6/10 · 16 June 2023]

"Are we safe?" Uh no. No one is safe in 2023's The Last Deal, at least not the pseudo protagonists anyways. Henchmen and mob bosses and drug vending, double-crossing oh my! "Just Say No" my brother.

So yeah, The Last Deal is to this year what American Dream was to 2021. It's a grave thriller set to LA and its sun-filled underbellies. Low budgeted yet slick, emote-less yet dangerous, psychologically scaring yet occasionally violent, shallow yet empathetic. Viewing "Deal", you can almost smell the La Brea Tar Pits from a mile away, bones and all.

Now do I think The Last Deal could've had a better ending? Probably. Narration at the beginning and narration at the end just feels like a convenient, tack-on device for the cinematic illiterate. And do I wish "Deal" tied up its loose ends so the whole hemp back and forth could come to fruition? Yeah. I mean what happened to the dealer characters who hid a Trojan horse in order to steal a truck full of the sticky-icky?

Starring unknown actors with some solid screen presence (Anthony Molinari, Jeffri Lauren, Sala Baker), "Deal" is about a marijuana trader who needs to make one final score because his business is suffering due to the drug now being legal. That's just the blueprint for The Last Deal dives deeper down the rabbit hole via plot over plot over plot.

Just think a Scorsese student film done with limited razzmatazz. Just think David Ayer fodder but with much restraint (hence the Los Angeles locale). Director Jonathan Salemi's camerawork is divine in regards to "Deal". He uses low-angles, hand-held-s, and long shots giving the flick an atmospheric if not well nigh, noir feel. If only his coda equaled the minacious journey of narcotic moolah and merciless cutoff points. "Fair deal".

The Last Deal

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 26 February 2023]

Directed and written by Jonathan Salemi, this is about what happens to dealers with marijuana becomes legal. Vince (Anthony Molinari) can't get his license and starts to lose money, so much that he can worries that he's about to lose anything. He and his friend Bobby (Mister Fitzgerald) decide to make one last deal, but the criminals they're working with steal all the weed, which leaves them in debt to the Boss (Sala Baker), a man who he borrowed a hundred grand from and also the maniac who demands his money in a week and then kills Bobby.

Based on a true story and shot during the pandemic, The Last Deal is a gritty take on the crime genre. This film literally had a lower budget than most major Hollywood action films spend on a half day of craft services and ends up working. That's due to how good Molinari is at his role, a normal guy forced into a fight that he has no chance of winning and worrying that he has a baby on the way with his girlfriend Tabitha ((Jeffri Lauren). Now she and his friends are also targeted, so he has to do whatever he can to survive.

This is a case of early overrating

[silverton-37959 · 3/10 · 19 April 2023]

With the rating system in place here, a high rating is generated by people who were involved in the film being the first to rate it. Naturally, people with skin in the game are going to give their project a high rating, so with fewer than 300 or less, the early ratings won't actually be critical of the film.

I couldn't get past the narrator's Baaahston accent, so I tried watching it with the volume down, just reading the subtitles. Apparently, the person , or voice translation software, couldn't understand the lead's accent either, so the subtitles don't make sense. That's not good for the ratings by people who have only viewed the film and have no reason to give high ratings automatically.

The thrust of the story is that the legalization legislation was set up to favor certain people, and makes it impossible for Vince to get a retail license.

This was rated 7.0 on IMDB, and the description and trailer made it seem better than it is. It only cost $1.99 to rent, but it's hardly worth that much ; no actors, no action, bad cinematography, and the backstory is told in three minutes.

The full story isn't really interesting. Vince goes for a deal with Bobby, Bobby's suppliers and Bobby's finance man, and trusts Bobby to check out the 200 lbs of product, then when the product is stolen along with the supplier's van and Bobby can't be found, Vince still doesn't conclude that Bobby set him up.

The way it all plays out us ridiculously unbelievable and everyone stumbles through the final scenes. I won't give it away because that would take more typing and I'm tired.

I will say that any review awarding more than 5 stars is probably a shill review.

I think my expectations were...high. They did a great job with a limited budget. Support indie filmmaking and buy/rent the movie. Just know what you're getting in to. Keep it

[martinibeef · 5/10 · 18 March 2023]

I think my expectations were...high. They did a great job with a limited budget. Support indie filmmaking and buy/rent the movie. Just know what you're getting in to. Keep it up, y'all.

I think my expectations were...high. They did a great job with a limited budget. Support indie filmmaking and buy/rent the movie. Just know what you're getting in to. Keep it up, y'all.

I think my expectations were...high. They did a great job with a limited budget. Support indie filmmaking and buy/rent the movie. Just know what you're getting in to. Keep it up, y'all.

I think my expectations were...high. They did a great job with a limited budget. Support indie filmmaking and buy/rent the movie. Just know what you're getting in to. Keep it up, y'all.

Excellent low budget Film

[coachob-07850 · 9/10 · 8 April 2024]

After reviewing the film's background and low budget during the Covid Pandemic, I felt they had a great screen play, the main actor in this movie Vincent, does a fantastic job as a drug dealer trying to make a score before the business model gets derailed.

Overall: I would rate this hi for a film with a budget that wasn't there, no permits and shot during a shutdown. The producer did a great job with letting scenes play out as they would in real life.

The backstory may have been expanded upon, knowing the characters and where they came from, but the plot thickens and so does the suspense.

I would choose this over many of the low budget films that are out there over this time period.

Surprisingly well made crime thriller

[dubond · 6/10 · 2 July 2023]

Based on a true story, writer/director Jonathan Salemi's crime thriller is set in a post-Prop 64 world where marijuana has been decriminalized and those who were once the "haves" become the "have nots." One such fellow is Vincent (Anthony Molinari), whose previous jet-setting lifestyle has come to a screeching halt as his medicinal weed business is now essentially irrelevant. He's not much more than a courier now and that's a mighty steep fall. When his partner, Bobby (Mister Fitzgerald), comes to him with the possibility for one big last deal that could save the business and even get him ahead it's too good to resist. Unable to completely handle the score himself, he turns to the Boss (Sala Baker) seeking a buy-in. Everything has to go right. Of course, it doesn't. The Last Deal is that rare convincing low-budget action flick that soars on the strength of a talented production crew and incredibly strong ensemble led by stunt man/actor Molinari. With almost a couple hundred stunt credits, there's literally no doubt you've seen Molinari's work but The Last Deal makes it perfectly clear that he's leading man material. Salemi's script is substantial, both convincing as an action flick and as a cultural statement. If you don't get the film's messages, you're likely not paying close enough attention.

Molinari's Vincent is a seriously complex dude. While The Last Deal is set smack-dab in the world of crime and there's no doubt Vincent has made his share of bad choices, he's a relatable guy whose down to earth qualities radiate a strange sense of normalcy amidst it all. You can't help but like the guy. He's essentially a good guy to Tabitha (Jeffri Lauren) and pretty much to everyone until he gets in over his head and starts getting double and triple-crossed. He kind of reminds me of John Wick, though with much less violence. There's an inner spark inside him and we see his light no matter how dark he has to get.

I'd love to see what director Jonathan Salemi could do with a bigger budget. His work here is impressive and if there's any justice in the cinematic world Hollywood is watching and will be knocking on his door.

Epic micro-budget Crime Thriller

[info-84236 · 9/10 · 28 February 2023]

I was referred to watch this from a filmmaking friend. He told me the film was shot pretty low budget with no permits and a bunch of Hollywood stuntmen. He loved it but I had no idea what to expect. Man, was I blown away.

They must have pulled some serious favors to shoot in the locations they shot but the film works outside of the production value. This is a very tense well acted ride. It's beautifully shot and I haven't seen Los Angeles look this dirty and noir slimey since Michael Mann type stuff.

The soundtrack is really good too. Composer Tony Fiala does an amazing job creating a tone throughout the movie. And director Jonathan Salemi really shines at telling a compelling and engaging story.

Anthony Molinari who I noticed from "Barry" really steals the show. Amazing what they pulled off in this movie. Although it does have a couple slow moments, it should not be confused with a micro-budget movie because it's so much more than that. It really is an amazing piece of cinema if you consider how much they made it for. And it can stand alone without that knowledge as well.

No clue why the rating is so low

[brianwindfield · 7/10 · 6 September 2023]

Don't understand why the rating is so low. Who watched this movie, 12 year old boys expecting a Jason Bourne action film? Did you not see the trailer?

In any case, checked this out on a Thursday night and was impressed. The characters are really engaging, the music is excellent... love the Miami Vice synth-music, and L. A. actually felt like Los effin Angeles.

It felt like an early Michael Mann film and I'm curious to see what these filmmakers can do with a bigger budget. The only downfall for this film, and I saw someone else write this somewhere in the reviews, is not enough people will watch this because it doesn't have a big Hollywood budget.

Worth a watch, and it's only 90 minutes!

Great Piece of Indie Cinema

[taraansleyjk · 8/10 · 2 March 2023]

Sometimes indie cinema hits and sometimes it just completely misses. This is the former! It's great to see what the independent landscape can provide when done well.

This movie caught me by surprise because I didn't know what to expect. It's done very well. The only way it could struggle is because it sometimes feels like a much bigger film and you can see what the filmmakers could possibly do with a bigger budget.

Lead actor Anthony Molinari is phenomenal playing the anti-hero and person against the ropes. Supporting actor Mister Fitzgerald stuck out for me too. I hope we see more of him. He brings a strong honest quality.

Director and Producer Jonathan Salemi really achieved a lot with a little and told a very non pretentious story whereas many indies sometimes feel like they're being something they're not. I look forward to seeing what he does next with a bigger budget.

The only unfortunate thing is this movie won't get the marketing blitz behind it that a larger film would and that's unfortunate because the film really stands up on its own and competes with movies 10x its size. Well done indie Hollywood!!! Btw, great death scene in the middle of the movie. Wasn't expecting it nor my daughter, ha!

Honest Entertainment

[chipsandpopcornet · 7/10 · 19 February 2024]

"The Last Deal" is a low-budget crime drama with a focus on the story, a thoroughly successful production design and a colour scheme that transports you straight to California. Jonathan Salemi manages to tell a calm and grounded story with this film, which doesn't convince with big twists and brutal action, but with a charming lead actor and a story based on real events. The film follows an interesting approach: it sheds light on the drug and especially the marijuana milieu in California after the legalisation of cannabis. The central theme is how an illegal scene has to adapt as a result of the sudden legalisation and has to face new problems despite the supposedly improved situation.

Anthony Molinari embodies the main character, who has to struggle with precisely this change and really endeavours to comply with the new regulations and continue his initially illegal activity legally. However, a rejection of his legal sales licence forces him to enter into one last dirty deal. The secret star of the film is Sala Baker, who despite the short screen time is able to play out his charm an d impresses with his physicality and simple coolness. Disasters like "Madame Web" are currently running in cinemas and are really intentionally pulling money out of your pocket with striking marketing, obvious deceptive packaging and the least amount of effort. "The Last Deal" isn't a masterpiece of creativity and therefore can't compete with indie hits like "Beyond the infinite two minutes" or similar, but it trumps with something that many films lack these days: honest entertainment. It's an indie film with a low budget that makes the best of it and only wants one thing: 90 minutes of cinematic entertainment. And it succeeds.

A realistic drug trade film

[gabrielblackfilms · 8/10 · 20 April 2023]

If you like shows, movies or documentaries that deal with the drug trade this is definitely for you. The film really makes you care about the central character as his world collapses due to the legalization of Marijuana. It reminded me a little bit of the movie 'The Gambler' because things just get worse and worse as the film progresses. It's intense. L. A is almost like a character in the film in the sense that quite a bit of the story was shot outside and this makes the movies vibrant, alive. I loved that! The beginning of the film has a bit of voice over that's quite insightful. It grounded the story and made it even more realistic. This was a great watch.

A timely action thriller

[IanGabrielG · 9/10 · 10 April 2023]

I loved this movie because it addresses a shift in the drug trade within U. S borders: The legalization of marijuana and how it affects those who dealt in the growth and distribution of this controlled substance. The cinematography was great, the story believable, and the characters all looked like and behaved like they belonged to the underbelly of society. Anthony Molinari was great in Tenet and The Fighter and he's amazing in this too.

I personally don't think there are too many films out there that tackle the subject the way this film does. It makes it a must watch for anyone who liked Narcos, Cartel land or even Miami Vice.