The Last Deal is a crime drama claiming to be based on a true story– how much of it is true is something left to wonder considering how many plot holes it has and the obvious tracks set leading to its climax.

The grinds are always greased when it comes to Vincent’s (Anthony Molinari) cannabis dealing business– everything has been planned from scratch, the clients are regulars, and the money keeps flowing his way. All of these changes when California passed a bill to legalize marijuana in 2015. Eighteen months after this dreadful decision, Vincent’s sure-thing begins to fall down– his license to sell is denied, clients stop contacting him, and money is getting low. Before settling out of the business, he decides to make one last deal that’ll make him get enough money to move on to other ventures, but this deal will turn into a deadly task once he’s crossed by his own allies and gains enemies he never dreamt of having.

There is an explicit imbalance when it comes to the representation of the antagonists in the story– roles are constantly swapped between different characters who are eliminated as the story progresses. Even when it is clear who the triggers of the central problem for which the plot develops are, this is forgotten due to the quantifiable treatments and supposed twists given. There’s really no surprise factor, and this is why the twists might not shock the viewer, from my perspective. Unfortunately, the plot is very easy to follow and its outcome is quite evident.

As the film’s tagline says “fortune favors the bold,” there’s nothing bold about The Last Deal. It’s ironic to see how the main character, a person who supposedly has figured everything out and has kept his business stable for a long period of time, can’t count on a back-up plan in case everything goes wrong. The profile imposed on Vincent is that of an ordinary person who, curiously, was very lucky in the past and fell into his comfort zone: he never struggled with enemies along the way who wanted to take everything from him and his business bloomed to full potential– quite a privilege for a person who did not struggle to earn a living illegally. But, even the most common person knows that everything in life is temporary, and you only have a chance to reap the rewards for a short term.

The Last Deal promises to be a tense gangster odyssey but it delivers a paint-by-numbers rocky roadtrip drama that might feel the same if it were set in a bank approving a loan to be stolen by the banker while the customer has to pay everything back before being repossessed.

2 OUT OF 10 BLUNTS

The Last Deal
RATING: R
The Last Deal (2023 Movie) Official Teaser Trailer - Anthony Molinari, Sala Baker

Runtime: 1 Hr. 31 Mins.
Directed By:
Written By:

About the Author

Brandon Henry was born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, just south of the border of San Diego. His birthplace is the main reason nothing really scares him (kidding… it’s a very safe place). His love for horror films came when his parents accidentally took him to watch Scream, at the age of 6, thinking that it was a safe-choice because it starred “that girl from Friends”. At 12, he experienced the first of many paranormal events in his life. While he waits to be possessed by the spirit of a satanic mechanic, he works as a Safety Engineer and enjoys going to the theater, watching movies and falling asleep while reading a book. Follow him on Instagram @brndnhnry and on Twitter @brandon_henry.