The Last Face
Violent wartime drama is inept, pretentious, and brutal.
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
The Last Face
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Last Face is a mature romantic drama about humanitarian doctors set in wartime Africa. Expect brief but disturbing scenes of operating room gore, bloody body parts, and dead bodies. There are also scenes of guns and shooting, with many people killed, including women and children. In one scene, a boy shoots himself in the head -- complete with a gruesome blood spray -- to save his father. Brutal rape is described, and language is strong, with several uses of "f--k" and "s--t." The main characters have sex, with a little nudity (bottom, nipple). There's a a brief reference to smoking pot, and characters have wine with dinner. Though the filmmakers seem to have had good intentions, the movie is difficult to watch and frustratingly misguided; it tells the story of an African culture's struggles through the eyes of privileged white/western characters, which is outdated at best and insulting at worst. Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem star; Sean Penn directs.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
In THE LAST FACE, Wren Petersen (Charlize Theron) has taken over her father's organization, Doctors of the World. In 2003, she goes to Liberia to help during the country's wartime devastation. She meets handsome surgeon Miguel Leon (Javier Bardem), and, after successfully delivering a woman's baby, they begin an affair. Their relationship is complicated not only by their different approaches to what they do -- Miguel refuses to get too personally involved in his work -- and by Wren's concern that Miguel is a "player." Her fears are confirmed when one of his former lovers (Adele Exarchopoulos) comes forward to say that she's HIV-positive. Eventually Wren and Miguel part, but they find themselves together again, in Cape Town, years later. Can they rekindle their spark?
Is It Any Good?
This romantic war drama -- Sean Penn's fifth feature film as director -- is an all-around dud. It's poorly shot and edited, crushingly heavy-handed, woefully misguided, and, to top it off, miserably long. Penn is talented, but with The Last Face he seems to have let his humanitarian beliefs get in the way of his artistic instincts. He sheds light on terrible atrocities but does so in a melodramatic, hysterical way that undermines them. He also bafflingly uses the old "white savior" technique -- that is, telling the story of a culture's struggles through the eyes of privileged white/western characters, which is outdated at best and insulting at worst.
And as if all that weren't enough, Penn aggravatingly favors wobbly, shaky camera work, restlessly roaming and wandering as if terribly bored. He also frequently uses a "rolling focus" technique, which leaves important bits of the frame out of focus. Not even Oscar winners Theron and Bardem can save the day; their shallow characters are little more than placeholders. And talented supporting cast members Exarchopoulos, Jean Reno, and Jared Harris barely register at all. Avoid this and seek enlightenment elsewhere.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Last Face's violence. How intense/gruesome is it? How does the movie use violence to make its point(s)? Do you think all of it is necessary to the story? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
How is humanitarian aid portrayed in the movie? Does it look appealing? Rewarding? Dangerous? Does this movie make you want to learn more about it?
How does the movie portray sex? How does it fit into the main characters' relationship? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
What does the movie have to say about war and violence in Africa? Is there anything that people can do about it in real life?
Have you ever heard the term "white savior" applied to movie plots/characters? What does it mean? How is the term relevant here?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 28, 2017
- On DVD or streaming: September 5, 2017
- Cast: Charlize Theron, Javier Bardem, Adele Exarchopoulos
- Director: Sean Penn
- Studio: Saban Films
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 131 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: strong bloody violence including disturbing images of war atrocities, language, and brief sexuality
- Last updated: December 23, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
Beasts of No Nation
Tragic story of boy soldier in Africa is extremely violent.
-
Hotel Rwanda
Excellent but disturbing film is too intense for kids.
-
The Constant Gardener
Government intrigue in Africa, for older teens+.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate