We have all had those days when we are on our way to work and our car breaks down. We either have to run or bike to work and arrive sweaty from rushing to get there on time. We get in trouble with the owner because we are the manager of the place and have to be an example to the other employees. Also, since we are the manager we have to work the overnight shift because the diner is short-staffed. When you think your day cannot get any worse, you are being stalked by masked crazies who are trying to kill you. Yep, we all have had insane days like Nancy, played incredibly by Jessica Belkin, in the horror-thriller, Last Straw.
From the trailer alone I thought I had Last Straw figured out. Boy, was I wrong! Writer Taylor Sardoni has taken the “home invasion” genre and turned it on its side by making you think it is one thing when it is not. I won’t give away the twist in the movie but Last Straw did have me on the edge of my seat trying to see how Nancy was going to get out of this.
As I stated earlier, the premise of the movie is pretty straightforward and Nancy is having a bad day that only gets worse at night. Her father is the owner of the diner and informs her that she will need to work the late shift with Taylor Kowalski’s creepy cook, Jake. Nancy is not happy about this and we see the tension between them grow to a boiling point. When a group of hooligans comes into the restaurant, Nancy uses her authority as the manager and kicks them out while the rest of the crew does nothing but watch. Was this a good move? Only time will tell.
What happens next is masked people show up at the diner once everyone is gone and Nancy has to fend for herself and try to survive the night. Without giving away too much, the movie shows us various ways that Nancy uses her wits to outsmart the attackers with what is around her. There are plenty of moments when you think the worst is over something else happens that makes you jump in your seat. Director Alan Scott Neal does an amazing job of putting the audience in the middle of the terror and using the camera to trick us into safety.
Final Thoughts: Last Straw has flipped how we think about “home invasion” movies by not only taking place in a diner but by interestingly twisting the story. Jessica Belkin is fantastic and Taylor Kowalski oozes creepy vibes from the first time you meet him. The story is quick-paced and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Kid-Friendly: I would recommend this to kids 17 and older. This movie might turn them away from doing late-night shifts at their jobs. (I’m kidding) If there is a theme for kids to learn something from Last Straw it is to be nice to those around you even when you are having a bad day.
Violence: There are a lot of violent scenes in the movie. From seeing road kill to people being stabbed and shot, the violence level is high!
A young waitress working the overnight shift alone at a rural, roadside diner finds herself in a fight for her life when she’s terrorized by a group of masked assailants. With no one to turn to, she will do everything she can to survive the night, even if it means striking back.