The Last Time I Committed Suicide

A straight-to-video movie released in 1997. I rented it and watched it before I found it on sale and bought it. Keanu, unfortunately didn't go for the main role but that's okay because I think he got the better character.

Keanu plays a middle-aged barfly/poolshark, and the role (surprisingly!) suits him well. The plot is based on a letter by Neal Cassady, our protagonist, to Jack Kerouac. Neal (played by Thomas Jane), is a 20 y.o. beatnik of the 30's, who drops by a bar every-so-often, in which we find Keanu's character, Harry. Neil does not know how to live life very well and seeks advice from people like Harry who know less than he does. But we keep "committing suicide" and trying over. It makes for an interesting story. Not enough Keanu, though the parts he's in are hillarious! Great 30's music.

Tracks include:
1 Charles Mingus - "Better Get it in Your Soul"
2 Max Roach Quartet - "Straight No Chaser" by Thelonious Monk
3 Miles Davis - "Move" by Denzil Best
4 **"It's a Metaphor" Thomas Jane as Neal Cassady**
5 Dianne Reeves - "Sugar Blues" by C. Williams & L. Fletcher
6 Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie - "Shaw 'Nuff"
7 **"Right Back Where I Started" Thomas Jane**
8 Ella Fitzgerald - "A Tisket, A Tasket"
9 Thelonious Monk - "Sixteen"
10 Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - "The Thin Man" by Kenny Dorham
11 **"Woody Wagon" Keanu Reeves as Harry**
12 Javon Jackson - "Country Girl" by Muddy Waters
13 Dianne Reeves - "He May Be Your Man"
14 **"The Wild Stuff" Keanu Reeves and Thomas Jane**
15 The Andrews Sisters - "Heartbreaker" by Capano, Berk & Freedman
16 Jacky Terrasson - "Budism" by Jacky Terrasson
17 Red Fish Blue Fish - "The Suicide Suite" by Tyler Bates
18 **"Carry on My Brother" Thomas Jane**
19 Pet - "Ride My Heart"
20 **"Who is this?" Adrien Brody as Ben, and Thomas Jane**

**The bits of dialogue are the best! It's worth getting the soundtrack if you like a little background jazz music. Lots of cool bass lines and stuff.

Thomas Jane....Neal
Keanu Reeves....Harry
Tom Bower (I)....Captain
Adrien Brody....Ben
John Doe....Lew
Claire Forlani....Joan
Jim Haynie....Jerry
Marg Helgenberger....Lizzy
Lucinda Jenney....Rosie
Gretchen Mol....Cherry Mary
Pat McNamara....Father Fletcher
Kate Williamson....Nurse
Christine Rose....Mrs. Greenaway
Meadow Sisto....Sarah
Amy Smart....Jeananne

-Keanu plays pool and drinks and sits in a dark bar - bears some resemblance to the "real Keanu". Doesn't he do most of that at Dogstar concerts?
-The music is so much fun
-Keanu isn't playing the screwball, Neal.
-Keanu's given cool lines to say. [see the quotes below]
-Another Santa Claus hat scene...

Keanu Quotes:

"You want it, don't you?" ["What...?" (Thomas Jane as Neil)] "The wild stuff....You talk a good game about the picket fences and the honey-at-home. But when the seven deadly sins start lining up at your doorstep and you see that little lady-lust all dressed in black..." ["What are you? The Devil?] - may be heard on the soundtrack as "The Wild Stuff"

"Let me get this all straight...you have refound your lost love and will soon be starting a job - a day job! Thus living your dream life that you've been waxing on about." - may be heard on the soundtrack as "Woody Wagon"

The Internet Movie Database: Last Time I Committed Suicide, The (1997)