This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

If not for the patron saint of spunky dames, Shirley Mac­Laine, there would be little to recommend "The Last Word," a comedy-drama that — except for MacLaine's quicksilver performance — goes exactly where you expect it to go.

MacLaine plays Harriet Lauler, once a titan in advertising in her little town, now reduced to micromanaging her gardener, hairdresser and anyone else in her orbit. Lonely in her big house, she looks at obituaries in her town paper and decides she's not going to leave hers to chance.

Harriet marches down to her local paper, and the perplexed editor (Tom Everett Scott) introduces her to Anne Sherman (Amanda Seyfried), the paper's obituary writer. Harriet gives Anne a detailed list of dozens of people she has known. As Anne goes down the list, she can't find a single one with a nice thing to say about Harriet.

Confronted with this news, Harriet decides to give Anne some better obituary fodder. She goes to an inner-city youth center and finds a foul-mouthed 9-year-old, Brenda (AnnJewel Lee Dixon), to mentor. She takes her vintage record collection to the local indie radio station and persuades the music director (Thomas Sadoski) to give her the morning drive-time slot. And, at Anne's prodding, she reconnects with her estranged daughter (Anne Heche).

Many of the moments in first-timer Stuart Ross Fink's script are half-baked variations on other indie movies. We get Harriet's late-life renaissance, the surefire comedy of a small child dropping the F-word, and Anne's transformation from mousy obit writer to confident author.

Director Mark Pellington ("The Motorman Prophecies," "I Melt With You") cuts through the clichés, as best he can, by focusing on the relationship between Harriet and Anne, and giving both actors room to work their magic.

Seyfried doesn't fare too well, saddled with the thankless role of Harriet's conscience. Mac­Laine, though, delights as the hard-charging businesswoman still putting her stamp on the world and, true to the movie's title, getting the last word.

Twitter: @moviecricket —

HHhj

'The Last Word'

Shirley MacLaine shines as a tough-talking retired businesswoman, corralling a script that's not quite worthy of her.

Where • Area theaters.

When • Opens Friday, March 24.

Rating • R for language.

Running time • 108 minutes.