Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie
PEACOCK
As someone who was an occasional viewer, albeit an enjoyer, of Tony Shalhoub as Monk in his seven year stink as the titular character of the show of the same name, it comes at quite a surprise that fourteen years after its end, a fitting final feature length venture in Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie arrives. Perhaps at the best time, in lieu of the recent Pandemic and lockdown causing mass waves of suicides, loneliness and depression, encompassed with the characters constant reckoning of his OCD, it makes for an interesting albeit possibly exploitative feature.
That good news is that anyone who is a fan of the original Monk television show is going to throughly enjoy this experience ten-fold. It is a wonderful reunion of returning characters with poignancy and presence that not only tackles incredibly profound and dark subject matters but does so with an open, honest and touching sense of tone. What makes this work is the performance of lead Tony Shalhoub, who, after fourteen years, manages to bring a new emotive layer and stretch to a character that was essentially finished in terms of depth. The result is this magical performance of emotive prowess that touches the depth of true despair and internal torture that Shalhoub evokes. It’s one of this performances that the viewer asks “where has this been?” and the answer is quite clear: it’s always been here. Although only so few have given Shalhoub the time and ability to reckon with such incredible themes and degree of his ability. Even more so brilliantly is that Shalhoub essentially does this on his own and carries the entire emotive core upon his shoulders for the whole running time. Granted, the original gang – including Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford and Ted Levine – return to give Shalhoub areas and beats to bounce off both emotionally and in comedic sensibility. Nevertheless, it is the returning dynamic of the unsung talent of The Office alumni Melora Hardin that caters the most emotive response and crafts a terrific sensitive and composed partnership on screen with incredibly rich and tender moments and themes.
The plot is quite predictable and incredibly procedural in narrative and mythos, albeit weaved in and out quite wonderfully with the above aforementioned thematic. The mystery itself is never partially engaging nor is totally compelling but, again, it is the emotional conviction of the writing and performances that elevate the mundane. James Purefoy evokes a nature of smug in his character never rising or elevating above that very one note dynamic. Little flair or conviction is found, and thus a lack of emotional engagement and investment results in the central plot of mystery. That being said, with Monk it has never really been about the villains or the schemes but saving the memories and vulnerability of the people and characters whose lives were scrubbed away in moments of terror and death. Finding purpose and peace in place of vulnerability and fear. Adding a new layer for fans of Monk but more so for those viewers themselves who might be lost in a confusing and weary world, and to that Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie does more than it could ever have imagined.
