Last Straw is a 2023 American horror thriller about a small-town killing spree that lands on the doorstep of a rural diner, where a young waitress must fight for her life over the course of one long night.
Directed by Alan Scott Neal – making his feature directorial debut – from a screenplay written by co-producer Taylor Sardoni. Produced by Daniel Brandt, Cole Eckerle, Matthew Bronen, Dane Eckerle, Michael Giannone, Phil Keefe, Taylor Kowalski, Levon Panek and Sam Slater.
The AC3 Media-Burn Later Productions movie stars Jessica Belkin (American Horror Story), Jeremy Sisto (May, Wrong Turn), Glen Gould, Jack DiFalco, Tara Raani, Taylor Kowalski, Levon Panek, Brian Wolfe, Cole Tristan Murphy, Doug Sakmann, Michael Giannone, Christopher M. Lopes, Sebastian Delascasas, Kayla Harrity, Joji Otani-Hansen and Iryna Scarola.
Plot:
Set over one night in a dusty roadside diner, the story follows Nancy (Jessica Belkin), a young waitress working alone on the late shift. As a series of chaotic events spiral out of control, Nancy finds herself in a fight for her life when she is terrorised by a group of masked assailants. No one is who they appear to be, and with nowhere to turn, she must do everything she can to survive the night…
Director Alan Scott Neal commented: “Last Straw is an outlet for revealing what horror awaits when the mask comes off and, at the same time, an attempt to understand what causes some people to turn towards violence. When I first read Taylor Sardoni‘s script, I was creatively drawn to exploring the abhorrent, violent behaviour that comes with the cultural clashes embedded in American society – while also making an entertaining thrill ride that grabs you and doesn’t let go.”
Reviews:
“Through a mean, lean horror thriller, Neal captures the current landscape of thinly contained fury constantly on the cusp of violence. While authentic, the characters aren’t interested in earning empathy to a polarizing degree, and the ending squanders much of the goodwill built up to that point. Even still, the siege horror is effective, and Neal’s assured grasp on the tricky narrative framing makes for an engaging debut.” ★★★ Bloody Disgusting
“Last Straw may not fully stick the landing, but Neal ultimately creates a tense experience about clashing personalities on the fringe of society. There’s a lot happening in the script that grapples with what it means to exist in a world that doesn’t care about you and what you’ll do to find some sort of control. Plus, Neal isn’t afraid to deep fry some skin and deliver some shocking kills.” ★★★½ Dread Central
“It’s unexpected yet familiar, giving you something new but also plenty of what we know and love as horror fans. It’s dark and violent but has layers that make it into something more than just a fight for survival. There’s a few unfinished threads and an odd choice of a final line but it’s a surprising and impressive debut feature from Alan Scott Neal.” 8 out of 10, Film Carnage
“Worst of all, the filmmakers hobble the picture with a maddening twist halfway through that severely detracts from narrative momentum and their innovative, interesting portrait of an unlikeable final girl. Commentary on toxic masculinity is ham-handed at best. Nancy’s clashes with rude, sexist men show some insightful depth, however, these filmmaker’s sentiments fumble in ludicrous fashion when showing Jake’s embodiment of the terrible trait, which isn’t the least bit compelling.” C- Fresh Fiction
“Last Straw is absolutely an exciting, blood-spattered nailbiter, but it is also much more than that. Its main characters have interesting backstories, with some in particular given full-fledged, multilayered character studies […] The overall result is a wonderfully crafted genre feature that takes the basic premise of a protagonist in jeopardy against marauders and loads it with surprises galore.” Horror Fuel
” …the world that Nancy inhabits feels equally complete in its attention to detail and although not every risk works out when it comes to shaking up a tried-and-true story formula, you appreciate the willingness to go there. If Last Straw offers something different, it’s in the quality of the production and when Nancy comes to realize there might be something better for her than what life has had to offer so far, it’s especially rewarding to feel as if you’re watching something that’s a cut above.” The Moveable Fest
“The final 20 minutes of this blood-spattered tale didn’t quite stick the landing for me but if overwrought modern tragedy (like a contemporary Shakespeare) is your bag, then you’ll definitely find plenty to enjoy in Last Straw.” 71% Nightmare on Film Street
“Taking place in a diner, Last Straw has a lot going for it. Moving the location of the invasion to a 24-hour diner opens a lot of possibilities to the genre. With an unconventional final girl and how the title’s meaning can apply to most characters in the film, it easily crafts a tension that gets lost a bit halfway through. Last Straw proves that there’s potential for more in Alan Scott Neal and makes me curious to see more of Sardoni’s writing.” Nightmarish Conjurings
Teaser trailer:
Movies free to watch on YouTube
Initial source: Bloody Disgusting
MOVIES & MANIA provides previews of new films, our own movie reviews/ratings, and links to other reviews from trustworthy recommended sources - all in one handy web location. Plus, links to legitimately watch 1000s OF MOVIES FREE ONLINE via platforms such as Amazon Prime, Plex, Roku, Tubi and on YouTube. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a very tiny amount from any qualifying purchases.