In "Last Resort," Charles Grodin is in the angst-ridden top form that made his turn in "Midnight Run" so wonderful. The film stars Grodin as a burned out Chicago furniture salesman named George Lollar, who, needing to get away from it all, books his family for a week at "Club Sand," a tropical resort.
Club Sand however, is nothing like the brochures, and everything from rude help, horrible accommodations, terrible food (when it can be found), over-sexed guests and even a burgeoning rebellion on the resort island conspire to make the Lollars' vacation anything but an escape. George ends up abused on just about every level, and Grodin's portrayal is spot-on hysterical.
"Last Resort" also features Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz, John Ashton ("Beverly Hills Cop" and "Midnight Run"), Megan Mullally ("Will and Grace") and Mario van Peebles, and picking them out in these early roles is an added bonus.
Some reviewers have complained that the film is filled with stereotypes and is at times, raunchy. The answer is yes on both counts; but the clichéd characters are lovingly over-the-top, the blue humor is never gratuitous, and the whole thing just works. "Last Resort" is a buried treasure for fans of oddball comedy, and worth the 80 minutes you'll spend watching it.