The Last Face
Amid civil war and humanitarian catastrophe in Africa, two aid workers struggle to reconcile passionate love with the obligations of saving lives.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- anguished
- earnest
- melodramatic
- serious drama night
- human rights film discussion
What critics said
Critics overwhelmingly rejected the film as a self-important, misguided humanitarian romance that reduces African suffering to a backdrop and fails to develop its characters convincingly.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dr. Wren Petersen and Dr. Miguel Leon develop a relationship while working through political upheaval and humanitarian crises in Africa.
The story centers western aid workers while critics specifically noted that black characters are relegated to the background.
The relationship is presented through a non-linear structure linking the characters' earlier meeting and later humanitarian circumstances.
Civil war, human-rights violations, refugee suffering, and relief work provide the film's dominant dramatic imagery.
Films like The Last Face, and why
The Constant Gardener
humanitarian drama set amid armed conflict, balancing political crisis with an intimate romance
Beyond Borders
romantic drama shaped by humanitarian work, African political violence, and ethical compromises
A Mighty Heart
international aid drama portraying moral responsibility and personal relationships during civil unrest
Movie Details
- Director
- Sean Penn
- Release Date
- 2017-01-11
- Runtime
- 130 min
- Rating
- 5.5 / 10 (211)
Cast
- Charlize Theron
- Javier Bardem
- Jean Reno
- Adèle Exarchopoulos
- Jared Harris
- Hopper Penn
- Denise Newman
- Mark De Villiers
- Amy Harries-Jones
- Obed Baloyi
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Starz Amazon Channel, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Starz, Starz Apple TV channel, Starz Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Last Face about?
- Amid civil war and humanitarian catastrophe in Africa, two aid workers struggle to reconcile passionate love with the obligations of saving lives.
- What is The Last Face like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Last Face as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Last Face violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Last Face as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Last Face?
- Critics overwhelmingly rejected the film as a self-important, misguided humanitarian romance that reduces African suffering to a backdrop and fails to develop its characters convincingly.
- Which films are like The Last Face?
- Films with a similar feel include The Constant Gardener, Beyond Borders, and A Mighty Heart.
- How long is The Last Face?
- The Last Face runs 130 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Last Face?
- In United States, The Last Face streams on Philo, Starz Amazon Channel, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Starz, Starz Apple TV channel, Starz Roku Premium Channel.
