A great cast and an interesting premise didn't help "The Last Shot" get exposure when it came to theaters in the fall. Why Disney didn't try to promote this movie like any other is beyond me, because while it isn't anything special, it is a lot better than much of the crap that hits thousands of theaters every week.

Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldwin, Toni Collete, Tony Shalhoub, Calista Flockhart, Tim Blake Nelson and Ray Liotta all have roles in this comedy not unlike "Wag the Dog," where a first-time director (Broderick) is hired by a first-time movie producer (Baldwin) to create a film called "Arizona." The catch is that Baldwin's character is actually an undercover FBI agent who wants to use the movie production as a means to get to the mafia, who can help get around union issues, et cetera. Unfortunately for the director, he has no clue that he's being played.

"The Last Shot" isn't incredibly funny, nor is it particularly witty, but at 90 minutes in running length it is entertaining enough to pass some time. Broderick once again plays an idealistic and somewhat innocent character, and while it isn't anything new for him, he does a pretty good job at it. Baldwin, of course, is good as a sleaze ball, but he really never gets to dig his teeth into anything meaty. The rest of the cast is somewhat underutilized, but still show sparks of life.

Unfortunately, the biggest problem with "The Last Shot" is that it just isn't clever enough for its own good. The entire story is straightforward when screenwriter Jeff Nathanson, who also directed, could have taken the premise to a whole new level. Ultimately, nothing very exciting or funny ever happens.

Still, "The Last Shot" has its moments and never is boring. The movie might be appealing to fans of Broderick or Baldwin, but otherwise can probably be skipped.

Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.