With only two previous movie screenplays to his credit (Million Dollar Baby and Crash), screenwriter Paul Haggis can safely be labeled as an overnight sensation, taking Hollywood by storm after years of working on TV with shows like Walker: Texas Ranger. While his last two films have been rather heavy in tone, Haggis tries to lighten up a little bit with The Last Kiss, a dramatic comedy that is not without its flaws, but still manages to win over its audience with a great cast and some airtight dialogue. Like Crash, the movie tries to cram a lot of characters and a lot of storylines in under two hours. Unlike the previous film, The Last Kiss does not fall apart because of it. It certainly helps that the movie avoids the heavy-handed melodrama and hit you over the head message of Crash. This movie probably won't lead to another Oscar for Haggis, but at the very least, it proves the guy can do a movie that exists simply to be enjoyable instead of to win awards.

The film covers a small group of friends and family who all start questioning their lives and relationships, and where they want to be as opposed to where they currently are. It's central focus is on Michael (Zach Braff), a 29-year-old architect with fears of marriage to his long-time girlfriend Jenna (Jacinda Barrett). When Jenna becomes pregnant, it obviously starts a chain of events where Michael is going to have to start seriously thinking about lifetime commitment, buying a house, and all the responsibilities that these things require. Michael is not sure if he is ready for such responsibilities, and while at a friend's wedding, he has a chance encounter with a sweet young college student named Kim (Rachel Bilson). There is an obvious connection between Michael and Kim, and even though he knows the road Kim wants him to go down can only lead to heartache and pain, Michael cannot help but have his thoughts wander to this other woman when he should be thinking about building his life with Jenna.

Other subplots covers Michael's three close friends from childhood; Izzy (Michael Weston), Chris (Casey Affleck), and Kenny (Eric Christian Olsen). They are each going through their own different kind of relationship heartbreak as well. Izzy still finds himself pining over a girl he's loved since high school who recently walked out on him, Chris is stuck with a baby and a crumbling marriage to a woman whom he feels doesn't love him anymore, and Kenny just can't seem to settle down with one woman. To further complicate matters, Jenna's mother Anna (Blythe Danner) has been having second thoughts of her own concerning her 30-year relationship to her sarcastic husband (Tom Wilkinson), and wonders if she would have been better off in life with an old flame college professor (Harold Ramis) whom she discovers is now married and has a family.

A remake of an Italian film which has gone unseen by me, The Last Kiss is a movie that juggles multiple plots and characters fairly well for the most part. Actor-turned-filmmaker Tony Goldwyn (Someone Like You) is able to keep the story running by never losing focus on his main plot, while at the same time, not forsaking the film's numerous subplots and side characters so that they don't come across as underwritten. Though the film's tone is mostly serious, there is a sharp sense of wit and humor that keeps the movie from becoming too heavy or depressing. The humor is placed throughout expertly, and never becomes a burden to the film, nor does it seem out of place. A lot of this has to do with the wonderful screenplay by Haggis, which is able to create characters whom may be flawed, but we find ourselves caring about them nonetheless. The lead character of Michael is a tricky obstacle for any writer, as he is supposed to do things that are very wrong, yet we are still supposed to like him. The film wisely does not sugar coat or try to rationalize his actions, but at the same time, it does not vilify him. He is a confused and worried man, and a man facing multiple paths that could lead him to multiple directions in life. His relationships with both Jenna and Kim are handled truthfully, and the film thankfully leaves things somewhat open ended for him at the end, instead of wrapping everything up with a happy ending like a lesser film would.

The other subplots and characters that surround Michael's moral dilemma are equally strong and, for the most part, are just as interesting as the film's central plot and characters. The main stand outs center on Michael's friend Chris, who realizes that he is only staying married to his wife for the sake of their child and that the love between them has faded, and Jenna's parents as they explore their true feelings for each other after 30 years of marriage. While they may not get as much screen time as Michael's story, they are still written with honesty, and don't play up the melodrama of the situation. The characters are likeable, despite their sometimes questionable actions, and the film is able to give each of their stories successful conclusions. It is the combined subplot of Izzy and Kenny where The Last Kiss falters just a little. While the other plots are fully developed, these two seem somewhat undernourished, which leads to them feeling a little less than necessary. We never truly get to know Izzy or Kenny as real people, and they almost seem to exist solely for comic relief. Their plots don't get as much screen time as the others, and in the end, I started to wonder if they should have been written out of the script after the first couple drafts. Maybe in a longer film (the movie is 105 minutes long), more time could have been spent developing their characters and plots, but as it is, they come across as a mere bump in the road. And although the relationship between Jenna's parents is strongly developed, I would have liked to have seen more about the past relationship between her mother, Anna, and the college professor she loved behind her husband's back. The professor only appears for one scene, and then disappears. The subplot is fine as it is, but would have been even better if the movie had developed it just a bit further.

While it's easy to nitpick about its visible faults, there's still no denying that The Last Kiss is an entertaining and enjoyable film. A lot of the credit goes to the ensemble cast that has been gathered. Despite the fact that Zach Braff gets top billing above the title, this really is a team effort, and everyone pitches in. Jacinda Barrett is good as a woman who tries to understand Michael's actions, yet can't help but feel deeply hurt by his actions. Blythe Danner and Tom Wilkinson are certainly veterans when it comes to acting, and bring their skill to each of their scenes together. Casey Affleck is also winning as Chris, a man who begins to question just where he wants to be in life, but also wonders if where he wants to be is for the best for his family. And in the tricky role of Kim, the woman whom may or may not drag Michael away from the life he's been building for himself, Rachel Bilson is playful and seductive in her big screen debut after years of working on TV shows like The O.C. and That 70s Show. She is able to be sweet, yet somewhat cunning, and at the same time not make her character come across as one we're supposed to hate. She's simply a little immature and a bit selfish, but her feelings for Michael come across as being genuine, so we believe why he would be torn.

The Last Kiss is an all around emotionally effective and winning comedy drama that hits the right notes and never becomes sappy or overbearing. It's only failing is that there's simply not enough time for the movie to do as much as it wants. The film is good as it is, but with a little more time, it could have been something really special. Still, what is on the screen here is worthy of praise, and everyone involved should see it as a success. Some other critics have compared this movie to the Vince Vaughn-Jennifer Aniston summer film, The Break Up, but I personally see very little resemblance. That was a movie about a relationship ending, while this movie is about the choices we make that may or may not lead to the end of a relationship, and the choices we face in just about every one. It may not be perfect, but The Last Kiss is still worthy of your hard-earned movie dollar.

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