Things are changing in Nancy’s (Jessica Belkin) life. Not only has she been made manager of her father’s diner, but she’s just taken a positive pregnancy test. She’s left on the night shift with Jake (Taylor Kowalski), the rough, mouthy chef. After a group of youths cause a scene, she loses her temper and fires Jake, meaning she has to do the shift on her own. In the midst of the night, it’s no surprise that a masked gang terrorises her.
Despite what might seem like a familiar set-up, Alan Scott Neal’s Last Straw has a few surprises to stop genre fans from rolling their eyes too much. It also boasts a fantastic turn from Belkin, who runs the full gauntlet of emotions in her role. Although she doesn’t behave in the nicest of ways (she’s unsure who the father of her ‘accident’ is and often takes her frustration at life out on her colleagues), she’s resilient when things go west. Likewise, Kowalski shows plenty of range in what could have been a one-dimensional character.
Neal uses the isolated diner location well, with its large windows leaving Nancy exposed throughout the night. He ramps up the tension and gets the most out of the mostly young cast and shocking action.
LAST STRAW is released on digital platforms on September 23rd.
