by Elaine Matlock
When Cockney butcher Jack Dodd (Michael Caine) loses his brief battle with cancer his last request is to have his ashes scattered at Margate pier. His son Vince (Ray Winstone) and three lifelong friends Ray, Vic and Lenny (Bob Hoskins, Tom Courtenay and David Hemmings) set out on a car trip to Margate because "Jack would expect nothing less" As they travel about, memory's floodgates are unlocked as they each recall their history with Jack. His widow Amy (Helen Mirren) is not along for the trip as she completes a mission of her own. Her narrative, which takes place during a park-bench conversation with Ray unfolds concurrently.

Jack and Amy were married for fifty years, having met on a farm in Kent in the fall of 1938. A field of hops was the setting for the act of love that led to a pregnancy and eventually a marriage. Several months later, their mentally handicapped daughter June (Laura Morelli) was born. As was the practice in the 30's, June was placed in an institution out of sight to everyone but her mother who faithfully visited every week. Physically and emotionally rejected by Jack, June becomes the source of lifelong friction between Jack and Amy. Yet in spite of this friction, there is an enduring love between the couple.

Although both men are from Bermondsey, Jack and Ray met when they were stationed in Egypt during World War II. When Jack shows Ray a photo of Amy, he is immediately smitten but does not act on his feelings for many years. Twenty years before Jack's death, Ray's interest turns into a brief romance with his best friend's wife. At this point in her life Amy needs ?a little Ray of sunshine? and the familiarity and comfort that Ray can offer. Still they both love Jack and they eventually end their affair after six weeks but the cherished memory lingers.

The four men stop ?for a pint? along their way because, of course, ?Jack would expect nothing less? They visit places which resonate in their lives. Vince takes a detour to the hops field where he threatens to throw his father's ashes and becomes more human when secrets from the past justify his actions. By the time Jack's remains are scattered at their final resting place, the characters have all become essential elements in each other's lives. Thanks to director Fred Schepisi's all-star cast, Last Orders earns its laughter and tears.

Schepisi's adaptation of Graham Swift's Booker Prize-winning novel is faithful to the book, while clearing up some of its more ambiguous aspects. None of the film's many secrets are histrionically revealed, instead, past and present thoughtfully unravel and the loose ends are tied with touching humanity.

The enduring love between the three main characters (Jack, Amy and Ray) is at the heart of this sweet and gentle story. It is a love which has many levels, much of it unspoken and unexpressed. Amy is noble and no martyr, she simply does what is expected of her as a wife and mother, whether ending an affair, raising a son or faithfully visiting a daughter who cannot recognize her. The performances are uniformly excellent and indeed , as of December 2001, the Last Orders cast had won or been nominated for several awards for best ensemble cast. Younger actors play the characters in some of the early flashbacks and they are quite good as well. The flashbacks are subtly interwoven and do not interfere with the contemporary story.

Mirren's Amy ages from around forty to seventy using facial expression, posture and with little obvious cosmetic help. She has a lovely Cockney accent and is possibly the only contemporary character whose accent is completely understandable to an American audience. Last Orders is one of those films that is an absolute must for all Mirren devotees. She is in top form using her face and eyes to express many facets of Amy's character: her inherent goodness, her love for Jack and her love for Ray.

Most of all, Last Orders is the love story between the three main characters and how all of these people have touched each others lives.