About Last Night (1986)

“It’s about men, women, choices, sex, ambition, moving in, no sex, risk, underwear, friendship, career moves, strategy, commitment, love, fun, breaking up, making up, bedtime, last night…”

This adaptation of David Mamet’s 1974 play Sexual Perversity in Chicago – a tough, vulgar, acrid, insightful play – suffers from a colourless performance from Rob Lowe and too little human chemistry.

The result is a trite romantic comedy about two young singles who fail to connect with one another both as friends and lovers. It’s more like St Elmo’s Fire II.

As a saving grace, Lowe’s co-stars Demi Moore, Jim Belushi and Elizabeth Perkins do manage to pull off some memorable moments.

Danny (Lowe) and Debbie (Moore) are a couple of Chicagoans who, after a first-night bedroom tryst, have trouble committing to each other.

Not helping matters is Debbie’s misanthropic roommate Joan (Perkins), nor is Danny’s promiscuous buddy Bernie (Belushi) conducive to the leading characters’ lasting relationship.

Danny and Debbie finally split when they decide that they really have nothing in common, though an open-ended climactic scene suggests that this state of affairs may change.

A flaccid, soft rock soundtrack featured leftovers from John Waite, Sheena Easton, Bob Seger, and John Oates.

Danny
Rob Lowe
Debbie
Demi Moore
Bernie Litko
James Belushi
Joan
Elizabeth Perkins

Director
Edward Zwick