Sundance 2020: The Last Shift Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Sundance Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

Generational stories have existed in film since pretty much the beginning. Who better to appear in the latest one than the famed supporting actor Richard Jenkins? It’s definitely nice to see him as a lead this time around in The Last Shift, a true showcase of his many talents. Though Jenkins surely has several years left in him, he is literally passing the torch while reflecting on his own life and accomplishments in a very relatable way as he approaches the end of his career. As with any generational story, expect plenty of clashes as old meets young but this contrast proved successful here. Though very little of this should come as too much of a surprise, it was still somewhat compelling to watch.

As mentioned, The Last Shift follows a man named Stanley (Jenkins) who was approaching his last shift at the same fast food restaurant where had worked for 38 years. However before leaving, he would have to train a troubled young man and a recent parolee named Jevon (McGhie) to take his position upon leaving. Clearly, this would be easier said than done as the film unsurprisingly played up the generational divide between them for laughs but it would also provide plenty of drama. Wanting to move on, it was Jevon’s different perspective that would challenge what Stanley thought he knew about his life. Meanwhile, life for Jevon as a parolee wasn’t easy. In the end, each of these men’s stories were compelling to watch and may not go the way one would expect.

The best part of The Last Shift was the great performances of Jenkins and McGhie as Stanley and Jevon respectively. Jenkins’s experience and screen presence help to create a character that has clearly gone through some things. He’s charming, he’s relatable, and he’s compelling to watch. The same could be said for McGhie as Jevon to a lesser degree while adding plenty of energy. Their impressive chemistry made them fun to watch together.

At the end of the day, The Last Shift is a fun little film that won’t set the world on fire but should still resonate with most audiences.

still courtesy of Sundance

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.