The Last Face

Plot

Wren is a physician and activist working in West Africa with the organization Doctors of the World that her dead father started so many years ago. She's happy to lead the organization, but frequently finds herself negatively comparing herself to her father's achievements. During 2003 Wren meets Miguel, a handsome surgeon who has also devoted himself to treating people from impoverished and war torn sections of the world. The two fall in love, however Wren soon discovers that Miguel has had a prior sexual relationship with her cousin, which contributes to the decay of their relationship.

Cast

Production

On April 10, 2014, it was announced Sean Penn would direct the film, with Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem set to star in the film. Principal photography began on August 1, 2014, in Cape Town.

Release

The film premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2016. On September 8, 2016, Saban Films acquired U.S distribution rights to the film. The film was released on DirecTV on June 29, 2017, before being released on video on demand and in theaters on July 28, 2017, by Saban Films.

Reception

The reception for The Last Face at Cannes was very negative and The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the film was booed during its screening. As of August 2017, the film holds a rating of 5% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 40 reviews, with an average rating of 2.5/10. The Hollywood Reporter panned the film, writing "A backdrop of Third World atrocity, suffering and merciless human-rights violations serves as the canvas for a faux-profound Hollywood love story in Sean Penn's stunningly self-important but numbingly empty cocktail of romance and insulting refugee porn, The Last Face." The Guardian and The Telegraph were equally dismissive, with The Guardian commenting that "Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem give career worst performances as doctors falling in love in west Africa while black characters are relegated to the background".