In The Last One for the Road, Carlobianchi (Sergio Romano) and Doriano (Pierpaolo Capovilla) are unlikely drivers, starting their journey by snoozing in their car until prodded by an impatient motorist. Their plan to meet an old comrade, Genio, at the airport quickly derails due to forgetfulness and a shared thirst for alcohol. Francesco Sossai’s film unfolds as a leisurely picaresque adventure through the Veneto region of Italy, showcasing not the typical tourist spots but instead providing an unflattering glimpse of a country where progress has overshadowed tradition.
As Carlobianchi and Doriano seek to reconnect with their past, they confront a landscape of closures and abandonment, poignantly captured by cinematographer Massimiliano Kuveiller on 35mm and Super 16mm film. Their misadventures evoke the spirit of Aki Kaurismäki’s melancholic style, as the duo’s chemistry, characterized by whimsical antics and meandering dialogue, resembles the aimless nature of Beckett’s characters in Waiting for Godot.
Despite the bleakness of their circumstances, their camaraderie offers a lighthearted tone. Notably, the film shuns grand revelations or epiphanies, humorously highlighting the futility of profound insights lost to drunkenness. Ultimately, Sossai suggests that navigating life’s challenges entails a day-to-day, drink-by-drink existence in a society seemingly headed nowhere. The Last One for the Road is set to release in UK cinemas on July 10.
