The Last Time (film)
Encyclopedia
The Last Time is a 2006 film starring Michael Keaton
, Brendan Fraser
and Amber Valletta
.
) is the top salesman in the New York
office of a business machine company. The corporate stock lives by quarterly sales numbers, the competition is very intense, and the economy may be headed into a downturn. Ted's company is marking time until a revolutionary new product is ready, probably within a few months. Some competitors may know something about this secret innovation, through industrial espionage
, and fear its impact on the market.
A new company hire, callow Midwesterner Jamie Bashant (Brendan Fraser
), has moved east with his lovely fiancée Belisa (Amber Valletta
). Jamie and Belisa are a young couple just starting out, and Jamie has to learn the business as a trainee. Ted is very successful, but also cynical, hard-driving, profane, obnoxious, abusive, and a lousy team player. He has few if any friends in the company, but his shortcomings are tolerated because his output is so outstanding. Ted, assigned to train Jamie, watches Jamie struggle, failing with presentation after presentation; Ted tries, in vain, to help Jamie improve his performance and make a few sales, even giving one of his own sure deals to Jamie, who messes it up. Then, Ted is introduced to Belisa through normal company friendship, and discovers a strong mutual attraction to her. Belisa is impressed by Ted's success and confident manner. The two start a relationship, and do their best to keep this secret from Jamie, who is worried about being fired because of his weak output. Ted confesses to Belisa that he has a failed love in his past, and that this affected him very deeply, leading to a career switch from college literature professor
at Northwestern University
near Chicago
to hard-driving star salesman in New York. Belisa does her best to comfort him; the two discover a shared interest in Oscar Wilde
's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray
, which Belisa studied at college.
Ted spends increasingly more time with Belisa and away from the office. Ted is falling hard for Belisa, who postpones her wedding to Jamie; the couple had planned a honeymoon to Jamaica
. But Ted's sales performance is dropping dramatically, and since his contribution to the company's profit is so important, the rest of the sales force feels even more pressure. Branch manager John Whitman (Daniel Stern
) has prospered with Ted's performance, but starts losing confidence in Ted, and is mystified at Ted's lack of dedication, such a contrast from his previous strong effort. Belisa seems ready to end her engagement to Jamie in favor of Ted, as the two travel to Atlantic City for a getaway from the stress, and use Jamie's week-long absence at a training conference to deepen their relationship. However, the company is in trouble, not just in New York but at its other locations as well, and downsizing and firings are imminent. Just as Ted's love life is prospering, his career is sinking. Jamie, showing no improvement whatsoever in his job performance, becomes suspicious that Belisa is cheating on him, and nears a nervous breakdown
, since he also fears for his job. He turns to Ted for advice. Belisa becomes very concerned and decides to break off her affair with Ted, to take care of Jamie. The two plan to return together to Ohio
. Ted is devastated at Belisa's change of heart, and no longer cares about his career; he avoids the office, doesn't answer his phone or return messages, fails to close several critical deals, and this drives the company closer to ruin. Manager Whitman's own career is on the line.
The company collapses and dozens of staff personnel are fired. But it finally becomes clear that the bumbling Jamie is a spy, a double agent
, sent by a competing firm, to weaken the company, and that this was merely part of a deep nationwide strategy to undermine it as preparation for a corporate takeover, as the company's stock bottoms out with its falling sales. But Belisa, who has been central to the double-dealing scheme all along, so convincing with the affair which distracted Ted, destroying his sales performance and then his confidence, discovers that she does actually love him. Belisa returns to New York and visits Ted, who is no longer interested in her. Ted leaves New York and returns to college teaching, his real career preference; his cynical outlook is reinforced with the failure of the relationship. Jamie, no longer the clumsy klutz, is greatly emboldened now at a company celebration. He confronts his true employer, the corporate shark who masterminded the whole strategem to gain control of the innovative business machine, and demands his money. Belisa is left broken-hearted and angst
-ridden; the movie closes with her finding a personal message from Ted in a volume of Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray
which he has left behind for her.
, and New York City
, New York
, on a budget of roughly $4,000,000. The film was released Straight to Video on 10 July 2007, grossing only $626,000.
Michael Keaton
Michael John Douglas , better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American actor known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice . Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's...
, Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser
Brendan James Fraser is a Canadian-American film and stage actor. Fraser portrayed Rick O'Connell in the three-part Mummy film series , and is known for his comedic and fantasy film leading roles in major Hollywood films, including Encino Man , George of the Jungle , Dudley Do-Right , Monkeybone ,...
and Amber Valletta
Amber Valletta
Amber Evangeline Valletta is an American actress and model. She began her career as a model for fashion agencies, and appeared on cover pages of internationally recognized magazines. She made her film debut in Drop Back Ten . She then starred in the hit film Hitch...
.
Plot
Ted Ryker (Michael KeatonMichael Keaton
Michael John Douglas , better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American actor known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice . Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's...
) is the top salesman in the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
office of a business machine company. The corporate stock lives by quarterly sales numbers, the competition is very intense, and the economy may be headed into a downturn. Ted's company is marking time until a revolutionary new product is ready, probably within a few months. Some competitors may know something about this secret innovation, through industrial espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
, and fear its impact on the market.
A new company hire, callow Midwesterner Jamie Bashant (Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser
Brendan James Fraser is a Canadian-American film and stage actor. Fraser portrayed Rick O'Connell in the three-part Mummy film series , and is known for his comedic and fantasy film leading roles in major Hollywood films, including Encino Man , George of the Jungle , Dudley Do-Right , Monkeybone ,...
), has moved east with his lovely fiancée Belisa (Amber Valletta
Amber Valletta
Amber Evangeline Valletta is an American actress and model. She began her career as a model for fashion agencies, and appeared on cover pages of internationally recognized magazines. She made her film debut in Drop Back Ten . She then starred in the hit film Hitch...
). Jamie and Belisa are a young couple just starting out, and Jamie has to learn the business as a trainee. Ted is very successful, but also cynical, hard-driving, profane, obnoxious, abusive, and a lousy team player. He has few if any friends in the company, but his shortcomings are tolerated because his output is so outstanding. Ted, assigned to train Jamie, watches Jamie struggle, failing with presentation after presentation; Ted tries, in vain, to help Jamie improve his performance and make a few sales, even giving one of his own sure deals to Jamie, who messes it up. Then, Ted is introduced to Belisa through normal company friendship, and discovers a strong mutual attraction to her. Belisa is impressed by Ted's success and confident manner. The two start a relationship, and do their best to keep this secret from Jamie, who is worried about being fired because of his weak output. Ted confesses to Belisa that he has a failed love in his past, and that this affected him very deeply, leading to a career switch from college literature professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
near Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to hard-driving star salesman in New York. Belisa does her best to comfort him; the two discover a shared interest in Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only published novel by Oscar Wilde, appearing as the lead story in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine on 20 June 1890, printed as the July 1890 issue of this magazine...
, which Belisa studied at college.
Ted spends increasingly more time with Belisa and away from the office. Ted is falling hard for Belisa, who postpones her wedding to Jamie; the couple had planned a honeymoon to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. But Ted's sales performance is dropping dramatically, and since his contribution to the company's profit is so important, the rest of the sales force feels even more pressure. Branch manager John Whitman (Daniel Stern
Daniel Stern (actor)
Daniel Jacob Stern is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the Hollywood films C.H.U.D., Diner, City Slickers and the first two Home Alone films, and as the narrator for the television series The Wonder Years.-Early life:Stern was born in Bethesda, Maryland to a...
) has prospered with Ted's performance, but starts losing confidence in Ted, and is mystified at Ted's lack of dedication, such a contrast from his previous strong effort. Belisa seems ready to end her engagement to Jamie in favor of Ted, as the two travel to Atlantic City for a getaway from the stress, and use Jamie's week-long absence at a training conference to deepen their relationship. However, the company is in trouble, not just in New York but at its other locations as well, and downsizing and firings are imminent. Just as Ted's love life is prospering, his career is sinking. Jamie, showing no improvement whatsoever in his job performance, becomes suspicious that Belisa is cheating on him, and nears a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
, since he also fears for his job. He turns to Ted for advice. Belisa becomes very concerned and decides to break off her affair with Ted, to take care of Jamie. The two plan to return together to Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Ted is devastated at Belisa's change of heart, and no longer cares about his career; he avoids the office, doesn't answer his phone or return messages, fails to close several critical deals, and this drives the company closer to ruin. Manager Whitman's own career is on the line.
The company collapses and dozens of staff personnel are fired. But it finally becomes clear that the bumbling Jamie is a spy, a double agent
Double agent
A double agent, commonly abbreviated referral of double secret agent, is a counterintelligence term used to designate an employee of a secret service or organization, whose primary aim is to spy on the target organization, but who in fact is a member of that same target organization oneself. They...
, sent by a competing firm, to weaken the company, and that this was merely part of a deep nationwide strategy to undermine it as preparation for a corporate takeover, as the company's stock bottoms out with its falling sales. But Belisa, who has been central to the double-dealing scheme all along, so convincing with the affair which distracted Ted, destroying his sales performance and then his confidence, discovers that she does actually love him. Belisa returns to New York and visits Ted, who is no longer interested in her. Ted leaves New York and returns to college teaching, his real career preference; his cynical outlook is reinforced with the failure of the relationship. Jamie, no longer the clumsy klutz, is greatly emboldened now at a company celebration. He confronts his true employer, the corporate shark who masterminded the whole strategem to gain control of the innovative business machine, and demands his money. Belisa is left broken-hearted and angst
Angst
Angst is an English, German, Danish, Norwegian and Dutch word for fear or anxiety . It is used in English to describe an intense feeling of apprehension, anxiety or inner turmoil...
-ridden; the movie closes with her finding a personal message from Ted in a volume of Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only published novel by Oscar Wilde, appearing as the lead story in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine on 20 June 1890, printed as the July 1890 issue of this magazine...
which he has left behind for her.
Cast
- Michael KeatonMichael KeatonMichael John Douglas , better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American actor known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice . Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's...
... Ted Ryker - Brendan FraserBrendan FraserBrendan James Fraser is a Canadian-American film and stage actor. Fraser portrayed Rick O'Connell in the three-part Mummy film series , and is known for his comedic and fantasy film leading roles in major Hollywood films, including Encino Man , George of the Jungle , Dudley Do-Right , Monkeybone ,...
... Jamie Bashant - Amber VallettaAmber VallettaAmber Evangeline Valletta is an American actress and model. She began her career as a model for fashion agencies, and appeared on cover pages of internationally recognized magazines. She made her film debut in Drop Back Ten . She then starred in the hit film Hitch...
... Belisa - Daniel SternDaniel Stern (actor)Daniel Jacob Stern is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the Hollywood films C.H.U.D., Diner, City Slickers and the first two Home Alone films, and as the narrator for the television series The Wonder Years.-Early life:Stern was born in Bethesda, Maryland to a...
... John Whitman - Richard Kuhlman ... Arthur Crosby
- Alexis CruzAlexis CruzAlexis Cruz is an American actor, known for his performances as Rafael in Touched by an Angel and as Skaara in Stargate and Stargate SG-1. Cruz was born in The Bronx, New York of Puerto Rican descent. His mother, Julia, was a songwriter. He currently resides in Los Angeles. He went to Boston...
... Alvarez - Neal McDonoughNeal McDonoughNeal P. McDonough is an American film, television and voice actor.-Career:In 1991, McDonough won the Best Actor Dramalogue for "Away Alone". McDonough has made many television and film appearances since then, including Band of Brothers, Boomtown, Star Trek: First Contact, Minority Report and The...
... Hurly - Michael LernerMichael Lerner (actor)-Life and career:Lerner was born in Brooklyn, New York of Romanian Jewish descent, the son of Blanche and George Lerner, who was a fisherman and antiques dealer. He was raised in Bensonhurst and Red Hook. His brother, Ken Lerner, is also an actor...
... Leguzza
Production
The Last Time was filmed in August 2005 in New Orleans, LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, on a budget of roughly $4,000,000. The film was released Straight to Video on 10 July 2007, grossing only $626,000.