Overview
A journey of unexpected mentorship unfolds as two sailors take a troubled young man under their wing.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- profane
- melancholic
- late night cinephile viewing
- classic film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a sharply observed, funny, and heartbreaking New Hollywood character drama, especially for its performances, screenplay, and authentic military milieu.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Buddusky and Mulhall escort Meadows across the northeastern United States while the trip gradually reveals the military system's harshness.
The sailors' bawdy banter and practical lessons become a defensive language for care, fear, and masculine intimacy.
Meadows receives an extreme prison sentence for attempting to steal forty dollars from an admiral's wife's charity.
The film follows sailors, a vulnerable prisoner, bars, trains, streets, and military facilities with an unvarnished observational style.
Films like The Last Detail, and why
Midnight Cowboy
shared new hollywood realism, male camaraderie, road movie structure, and rueful dark comedy
Scarecrow
shared buddy dynamic, working-class marginality, bitter humor, and emotionally bruising American realism
MASH
shared military subculture, anti-authoritarian comedy, and critique of institutional absurdity
The King of Marvin Gardens
shared road-bound male friendship, episodic encounters, and melancholic American character drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Hal Ashby
- Release Date
- 1973-12-11
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (433)
Cast
- Jack Nicholson
- Otis Young
- Randy Quaid
- Clifton James
- Carol Kane
- Michael Moriarty
- Luana Anders
- Kathleen Miller
- Nancy Allen
- Gerry Salsberg
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, 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 Detail about?
- Two career sailors turn an escort mission into a boozy, profane farewell for a frightened young prisoner before military authority closes in.
- What is The Last Detail like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Last Detail as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Last Detail violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Last Detail as mild.
- What did critics think of The Last Detail?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a sharply observed, funny, and heartbreaking New Hollywood character drama, especially for its performances, screenplay, and authentic military milieu.
- Which films are like The Last Detail?
- Films with a similar feel include Midnight Cowboy, Scarecrow, MASH, and The King of Marvin Gardens.
- How long is The Last Detail?
- The Last Detail runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Last Detail?
- In United States, The Last Detail streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel.
