Last Flare: A Disaster Drama about the Regrets That Haunt Us

Tané McClure’s Last Flare, co-written with Scott Marshutz and based on a true story, is “not the f—ingTitanic,” but it damn near feels like its poor relation.  An ambitious proof-of-concept about four men on a fishing boat on a stormy Thanksgiving night in 2005, Last Flare tries to be the biggest it can be and the story can be. The result is a film that is frequently touching for how much and how valiantly it tries. 

Like many disaster stories, this one has one man’s needs (pride, insecurity, despair, what-have-you) in the driver’s seat. Mitch (Scott William Winters), against the wishes of his crew and advice of his boss (Manny Greenfield), is set on going out to sea when the news predicts bad weather. 

His crew consists of a good boy (Phoenix Zito as Corey), a bad boy (Andrew James Ferguson as Drew), and a peacemaker (Jeffrey Bigger as Ed), none of whom agree with him—as he is reminded over and over—but nevertheless follow along. To up the stakes yet more, there is a leak that will not be fixed before it becomes a life-threatening problem. 

The highlight of the film is the scale of its storm set piece—sinking ship, rocky boat, walls of waves, risky underwater mission, near drownings, and an unceasing background score that matures with the narrative’s progression. The underwater shots—Drew goes down to sever the chain linking their boat to the ship—are impressive, perhaps more than any other, and especially because it is actually shot underwater. 

It’s not Titanic, but the story is also told in flashbacks (to Monique Candalaria’s Laina the bartender), and also ends in a little twist that reveals a hollow to mark the loss. The curious thing about the plot, however, is that the crisis does not exacerbate interpersonal conflicts. Instead, it resolves or diminishes them. No one really lashes out at anyone, not even Drew. Even Ed’s admonishings to Mitch for his bad judgement do not sting. 

If Last Flare goes out with the glow of reinforced bonds, it also carries the embers of regret and loss. Laina can only look on. 

Watch Last Flare Short Film Trailer