Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Suman Roberson It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

cartman_1337 This review contains spoilers!Sharon Stone stars as a woman on death row, awaiting her execution, when suddenly a young lawyer decides to give it his all to fight for a stay of execution and retrial. Apparently there was exonerating evidence kept out of her trial, about her own abuse and the fact that she was drugged and drunk when she committed the heinous crime. Sharon Stone gives a brilliant performance, but the movie as a whole feels completely unnecessary, both because Dead Man Walking dealt with the same issues a few months earlier, because the mentioned circumstances doesn't really make her any less guilty or less deserving of the death penalty for having robbed two innocent people of their lives, and ultimately because all the efforts of the young lawyer yields no results, and she's ultimately executed. The latter is, along with Sharon Stone's performance, the best thing about the movie, if you ask me, but it still feels like a 103 minute long movie about nothing. An admitted killer got what she deserved, and those closest to her, and a few others who've taken it upon themselves to care, feel sad about it. Nothing new there. And certainly not enough for another movie about it...

jotix100 Some criminals in death row get a dose of their own medicine while they await execution, which seems to be the case with Cindy Liggett, a woman that killed two young people a few years before. Cindy, it appears, is resigned to die. She doesn't want the idea of getting false hopes, which is what happens when a young idealistic lawyer tries to have her execution stopped because he finds flaws in her case. Unfortunately, his pleas in favor of his client go into deaf ears.Rich Hayes, a young lawyer, returns home to a job his brother John, a lawyer working in the legal system, has been able to get for him. He is assigned to the clemency department, reviewing old cases that have been tried already. The Cindy Liggett murder conviction gets his attention. It's clear, from the start, her reaction is negative. She feels she is better off dead, rather than serve life in jail. At first, Cindy clashes with Rich, but his earnestness win her over, as she begins to see some hope.Rich, for his part, steps into many toes. Worst of all, he makes a blunder by accosting the state Governor at the wrong place, at the wrong time. The Governor believes in the death sentence and is against showing clemency for a murderess like Ms. Liggett, who, as far as he is concerned, has shown no remorse in the horrible way she killed. The last moments of the film involve Cindy's preparation to die by lethal injection for the crimes she committed. It is a tense time as Rich tries to do everything possible to spare the convict of the impending death. There is a tender moment when Cindy discovers a dress Rich has bought for her to wear at her execution.Bruce Heresford has had some successes in his long film career, both in his native Australia and in America. This film will always be compared to "Dead Man Walking", a more intense, and better film. The screen play by Ron Koslow doesn't quite make us care too much for a woman who has, apparently, not an ounce of redeeming qualities. We don't believe for one moment that the young lawyer, who also hasn't done anything worth while in his life will take the convict's case to heart like he does in the film.The best thing in "Last Dance" is Sharon Stone. She obviously wanted to be taken seriously when she agreed to do this movie. Her Cindy Liggett shows a hardened soul who awakens to realize the consequences of her actions and must pay for them. Rob Morrow, who plays Rich Hays throws away the film in the way he plays the character. We don't believe him for a moment he is this man who tries so hard to have Cindy's conviction changed to life. Randy Quaid, Peter Gallagher, Jack Thompson, and Skeet Ulrich are seen in the film. The main reason to watch "Last Dance" is Sharon Stone who shows she has the potential to do better things in her movie career.

moonspinner55 Death Row inmate Sharon Stone may be put to death by lethal injection if novice clemency lawyer Rob Morrow can't get the government to be sensitive to her case. Flimsy, one-dimensional melodrama tries taking a well-meant stand against the death penalty--but with such shallow characters, it's difficult to become involved. This was yet another bid by Stone to be taken as a serious actress, but instead she's rigid in this part, steely-eyed and dull; only in the film's final third does she shake off the cobwebs. Supporting cast (including Randy Quaid and Skeet Ulrich) is weakly-used and the writing is mediocre throughout. And what about that awful title? ** from ****

nmp381 I have yet to see DMW- starring Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon, but given it was such a popular movie, it was difficult for this one to step out of its shadow. It is about a woman up against death row. An attorney steps in and tries to save her life by proving her innocence in a murder trial. I have always been intrigued with prison movies for their grittiness, and drama, and Last Dance has some real moments of tension. However the grittiness is somewhat lacking, until the end (and even there its not as strong). What saves the movie is strong acting, specifically from Stone (who is somewhat Hollywood's female version of Sean Penn in that they exceed in the lowlife "bad guy" roles like no other). 7/10.