''Last Call'' (originally titled ''Dominion'') is a 2017 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

written and directed by Steven Bernstein. It is a

surrealist Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to ...

ic biopic, which recreates the life of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas through flashbacks during the famous drinking binge at the White Horse Tavern in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

which ended fatally during the fall of 1953. The unfinished film was screened at the 2016

Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival The Festival do Rio is an international film festival in Rio de Janeiro. The festival was the result of a 1999 merger of two previous film festivals, the Rio Cine Festival and the Mostra Banco Nacional de Cinema. Founded in 1984 and 1988 respective ...

. The worldwide sales rights were acquired by Lightning Entertainment in November 2017.

Cast

Rhys Ifans Rhys Ifans (; born Rhys Owain Evans; 22 July 1967) is a Welsh actor and musician. He was the frontman of Welsh rock music bands the Peth and Super Furry Animals. As an actor, he is best known for his roles in ''Notting Hill'' (1999), ''Kevin & ...

as Dylan Thomas *

Rodrigo Santoro Rodrigo Junqueira Reis Santoro (; born 22 August 1975) is a Brazilian actor. He is most known for his portrayal of Persian King Xerxes in the movie ''300'' (2006) and its sequel '' 300: Rise of an Empire'' (2014). Other famous movies include ' ...

as Carlos *

John Malkovich John Malkovich (born December 9, 1953) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Screen Actors Guild Aw ...

as Dr. Felton *

Romola Garai Romola Sadie Garai (; born 6 August 1982) is a British actress and film director. She appeared in ''Amazing Grace'', ''Atonement'', and '' Glorious 39'', and in the BBC series '' Emma'', '' The Hour'' and ''The Crimson Petal and the White''. I ...

as Caitlin Thomas *

Zosia Mamet Zosia Russell MametAccording to Vermont Births, 1981–2001, and Vermont Birth Records, 1909–2008, at Ancestry.com. (; born February 2, 1988) is an American actress and musician who has appeared in television series including ''Mad Men'', ...

as Penelope *

Tony Hale Anthony Russell Hale (born September 30, 1970) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his role in the Fox comedy series '' Arrested Development'' as Buster Bluth. Hale played Gary Walsh on the HBO comedy ''Veep'' from 2012 until ...

John Malcolm Brinnin John Malcolm Brinnin (September 13, 1916 – June 26, 1998) was a Canadian-born American poet and literary critic. Life and work Brinnin was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, to American parents John A. Brinnin and Frances Malcolm Brinnin ...

* Philip Ettinger as Alexi * Jonathan Higgins as Julian *

Arthur Holden Arthur Holden (born August 28, 1959) is a Canadian actor and writer. Known for his roles such as Mr. Ratburn in ''Arthur'', Baba-Miao in ''Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat'', Mayor Mallard in ''The Little Twins'', and Mr. Larkin in later episode ...

as Dean *

Ellen David Ellen David is a Canadian actress. She was co-nominated for a 2007 Gemini Award for Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series in '' The Business'' episode ''Check Please'' and nominated for a 2005 Prix Gemeaux for Meilleur rôle de ...

as Dorothy * Andrew Shaver as Reggie * Jeremy Ferdman as Michael * Noel Burton as Jeremy *

Guy Sprung Guy Sprung is a film and theatre director born in Ottawa in 1947. He lives in the Mile End area of Montreal and was the artistic director of Infinitheatre for 22 years. He retired and was succeeded by Zach Fraser in March 2021. Career Guy Sprung ...

as Felix * Michael Riendeau as Colm Thomas * Mike Paterson as Teddy

Production

The film was shot in 2014. On May 1, 2014,

and

Diego Luna Diego Dionisio Luna Alexander (; born 29 December 1979) is a Mexican actor, director, and producer. He is known for his portrayal of Cassian Andor in '' Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' and the Disney+ series ''Andor''. Following an early car ...

joined the cast. On May 29, 2014,

joined the cast.

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...

began on May 23, 2014, and ended on June 23, 2014. Post-production was completed in January 2020. The film ran into financial difficulties during the last week of filming when extras and technicians were not paid for the work they had done when the production ran out of money. Though producers insisted the crew would be paid, in 2015, extras and crew signed an open letter to

Pierre Lescure Pierre Lescure (born 2 July 1945) is a French journalist and television executive. He is known for having founded the French TV music show ''Les Enfants du rock'' broadcast on public television from 1981 to 1988 and for having led the French Cana ...

, the president of the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

, asking them to ban ''Dominion'' from being screened at the festival until they were paid, while the producers argued that the incomplete film would benefit from being shown at Cannes, where they could find investors.

Reception

The unfinished film was very well reviewed at The Rio Film Festival. ''The Hollywood Reporter'' said: "''Dominion''s daring never becomes pretentiousness, and its sincere struggle to get to the heart of the endlessly fascinating Thomas myth — one with contemporary resonances, in its take on celebrity — finally makes the film as rewarding as it is uncomfortable..." ''ISTOE'', one of Brazil's three leading magazines said: "Also worthy of an Oscar is Rhys Ifans in Steven Bernstein's ''Dominion''." Luiz Carlos Merten for ESTADAO said: "Rhys Ifans' performance as the poet is Oscar worthy." and "Rodrigo (Santoro) could compete for best supporting." Plano Critico said: "Certainly one of the best films of the year" "''Dominion'' is one of those films that leaves us completely in love with it, a cinematographic work with identity, both as textual imagery, which immerses us completely in this dizzying trajectory of Dylan Thomas." A work in progress version of the film was also very well reviewed at The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. Aurelia Aasa, film critic for Postimees Culture said: "...one of the most aesthetically pleasing and poetic films at PÖFF this year..." Ben Nicholson of "Cine Vue" named "Dominion" as one of the Top Ten Picks of the festival and said: "a virtuoso performance from Ifans – he’s pompous, verbose, and charismatic."

Awards

The unfinished film won the Best Actor award for Rhys Ifans's performance as Dylan Thomas at the 2017 POFF Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. POFF Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival is the largest film festival in Northern Europe.

References

External links

* {{Dylan Thomas American drama films Biographical films about poets 2016 drama films Cultural depictions of Dylan Thomas Films scored by Steven Bramson 2016 films 2010s English-language films 2010s American films