Parents' Guide to

The Last Word

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Refreshing comedy about abrasive woman has strong language.

Movie R 2017 108 minutes
The Last Word Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 17+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 16+

The language is very mature.

The casual use of ‘s**t’ is one thing, but the cursing is over the top. We shouldn’t take this too lightly.

This title has:

Too much swearing
age 18+

wonderful! simply wonderful!

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (2):

It's hard to overstate the importance of chemistry, especially in an intimate, personal film like this one, which succeeds largely due to the charm and rapport of its cast. Most notable of them all is MacLaine, who presides over the proceedings with confidence and command, a potent combination that keeps viewers glued to the screen. Simply put, there are very few actors who have such mastery over their craft. Her wit has crackle, her bite has heart.

And MacLaine is backed fully by the supporting cast, Seyfried and AnnJewel Lee Dixon (as Brenda, the precocious, profane 9-year-old whom Harriet befriends) chief among them. The storyline of The Last Word is steeped in sentimentality -- a hard-edged woman faces her mortality and finds renewal in the unlikeliest of places -- but it's winning nonetheless.

Movie Details

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.

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