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Join UsStar Cast: Tony Shalhoub, Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford, Melora Hardin, Hector Elizondo, Ted Levine, and James Purefoy
Director: Randall Zink
What’s Good: The humor remains fantastic, and the addition of a darker tone makes the film quite unique.
What’s Bad: The mystery itself is a boring one for sure, not the best one in the series.
Loo Break: Clocking 90 minutes, the movie goes by quite fast, so you probably won’t have the need for a break.
Watch or Not?: If you’re a fan of the old series or maybe a fan of Shalhoud after his work in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, this is a must-watch.
Language: English
Available On: Peacock
Runtime: 97 Minutes
User Rating:
The original Monk series ran for eight seasons and became one of the most successful TV series in the early 2000s for a time, the series was actually the most watched show on cable television and transformed its lead into a recognizable star everywhere around the world. More than a decade later, Peacock orders one last hurrah for one of our favorite TV detectives and movies, to give closure to the character. The result is a movie that totally feels just like a special episode of the series, and yet, it is charming and interesting enough to stand on its own.
Mr. Monk’s Last Case Movie Review: Script Analysis
One of the reasons Monk managed to become such a huge success was the way the story was being told season after season. Even when the show is clearly modeled after the police Procedural template, the character dealt with issues that would change the way they acted and performed and future cases. As such, the character development became a huge part of the show, and this is the element that kept people watching. There could be a new case every single week, but the characters remained the same.
Getting attached to characters is one of the goals every storyteller wants to achieve in their audience. Once this happens, then half of the work is done. Monk’s Last Case knows very well that the characters are the real deal when it comes to delivering enjoyment to their target audience, and following this reasoning, they have decided to bring the entire gang back for this last goodbye. The movie ends up becoming an exercise in nostalgia, but when the characters are so lovable, there is really not much to do but have a great time.
Not everything is just charm and happiness in Monk’s Last Case. This is a movie that is willing to take its main character through a very dark journey, one that deals with some of the darkest moments a human being can face. Monk’s Last Case is very brave, and the fact that it manages to balance both the dark and the light in such a way is quite an achievement. The creators have already done this in the main show, but it is great to see that they haven’t lost any of their ability to do so.
Monk’s Last Case’ story goes weaker when it works outside the purview of the characters. The case the movie deals with isn’t the most interesting case out of the many Monk has solved. It is one of the most emotional cases, that is for sure, but when it comes to being a good detective story, we can say that there are better examples of the genre out there. Go and watch the underrated Poker Face if you really want a great detective plot.
Mr. Monk’s Last Case Movie Review: Star Performance
Like we said before, Monk is all about the characters, and there cannot be great characters on TV and film without great performances. It would be naive to say that there is a more amazing performance on the show other than Tony Shalhoud’s. The actor has made Monk his own, and he will be forever remembered for it. Lately, he also won a ton of new fans with his amazing performance in Amazon Prime’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, acting in another memorable role. So it seems like Shalhoud is made out of legendary stuff.
The great of the cast does an amazing job, and it really feels like they never really left, or like Monk would say, they never really “abandoned” him. None of the other roles are as meaty as Monk’s, but they are very precise and efficient supporting roles, and they should be highlighted. Without them, the story wouldn’t be the same. Watching Melora Hardin’s comeback is also one of the highlights; she and Shalhoud make for a great couple.
Mr. Monk’s Last Case Movie Review: Direction, Music
Monk’s Last Case doesn’t really shy away from the fact that this is a TV movie. The difference between this movie and an episode of the show is just the runtime. The movie goes for a breezy 90-minute runtime, which nowadays feels like a breath of fresh air. Outside the runtime, there is nothing here that will scream to better production values or more cinematic flair behind the camera. Is this kind of letdown? Yes, for sure, many times in the past when a TV series would get a movie it meant the chance to give that TV show a bit more budget and the ability to do things it couldn’t in its TV presentation.
Randall Zisk does what he does best. He has directed more than 30 episodes of the main show so there is a bit of continuity there in terms of visuals, pacing, acting and more. If it doesn’t break, why fix it? This seems to be the philosophy behind the movie. It would be weird to be disappointed by it, but there is definitely a missing change here.
Mr. Monk’s Last Case Movie Review: The Last Word
In the end, Monk’s Last Case creates the perfect goodbye for one of the most beloved TV characters of the recent era. The movie gives fans exactly what they wanted: more Monk and his gang. It also takes Monk into quite a bit of an existential journey that ends up being quite emotional and entertaining. It might be dark, but the good humor of the show is never banished, and that is what makes the show and the characters so special.
Mr. Monk’s Last Case Trailer
Mr. Monk’s Last Case releases on December 08, 2023.
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For more recommendations, read our Wonka Movie Review here.
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