neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Last Orders
	Fred Schepisi Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins, David Hemmings, Tom Courtenay, Helen Mirren, Ray Winstone 2001 Widescreen; closed caption; Spanish, French, Portuguese, English subtitles; commentary by director Fred Schepisi, theatrical trailer.		It's a rare treat to see such venerated British actors as Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins, David Hemmings, Tom Courtenay and Helen Mirren working together on a truly heartfelt project. Adapted from a novel by Graham Swift, "Last Orders" is the story of three lifelong friends who agree to the final request of the fourth in their circle and take a road trip to scatter his ashes in the seaside town of Margate. Former young turks of England's film scene in the swingin' '60s, Caine, Hemmings and Courtenay may be long in the dentures and a long way from "Alfie," "Blow-Up" and "Billy Liar." But they and latter-day colleagues Hoskins and Mirren still have the goods. Throw in Ray Winstone ("Sexy Beast") as the dead man's son, and you've got enough acting power to fill a bundle of Oscar ballots. Using flashbacks (some featuring younger performers as the pals in their earlier days) and mixing them into the road-trip footage, director Fred Schepisi paints a lovely, bittersweet portrait of decades-spanning devotion.