Summary

• Intense tension in the film builds steadily towards an unexpected climax.
• The film's ensemble cast shines, with storytelling that crafts a tense and engaging narrative in a single setting.
• Despite minor flaws, The Last Stop in Yuma County remains captivating, with an impressive debut effort.

Francis Galluppi's debut film, The Last Stop in Yuma County, is a gripping indie crime thriller that immediately grabs your attention and steadily intensifies throughout. While it slightly runs out of gas towards the end, it remains an enjoyable ride worth revisiting. The story follows a young knife salesman, played by Jim Cummings (The Beta Test), who finds himself stranded at a remote gas station while on his way to celebrate his daughter's birthday. As he waits for the fuel delivery in the adjoining diner, he befriends the waitress, Charlotte, portrayed by Jocelin Donahue (The House of the Devil).

The tension escalates when two suspicious individuals enter the diner (Richard Brake and Nicholas Logan), revealing themselves as the perpetrators of a recent bank robbery. The knife salesman and Charlotte find themselves entangled in a tense hostage situation, their lives suddenly at risk. Galluppi skillfully builds suspense with an impressive and technically sound script, keeping the narrative engaging as the movie unfolds within the single setting.

The Last Stop in Yuma County boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Faizon Love, Michael Abbott Jr., Gene Jones, Sierra McCormick, and Barbara Crampton. While the final act may push the limits of plausibility, the film's overall strength and captivation more than makes up for any minor weaknesses. Galluppi is striving to establish his reputation, and he has done an impressive job with his debut effort.

Galluppi Crafts An Intriguing Script With The Perfect Amount Of Tension

The ensemble of characters is perfect at keeping the momentum going

The Last Stop in Yuma County showcases Galluppi's skill in visual storytelling from the very first frame. The setting is meticulously crafted, featuring a small, desolate rest stop in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a vast desert and a sleepy town. The script is laden with subtle but significant details that could easily be missed without paying close attention. A brief news report on the radio about a recent bank robbery and the getaway car, along with a seemingly innocent sign advertising rhubarb pie, serve as clever storytelling devices that seamlessly integrate into the well-structured narrative.

The fascinating characters that populate the film and the masterful buildup of tension that unexpectedly erupts midway through the story more than compensate for any shortcomings.

Galluppi's script strikes a perfect balance between tension and humor, providing brief moments of respite that allow you to catch your breath and smile before plunging right back into the suspense. The tension is palpable from the outset, with the introduction of the unnamed knife salesman, who initially appears innocuous, but hints at a deeper complexity. As each quirky but realistic character is introduced — from the young, naive deputy to the reckless lovers on the run — the stakes continue to rise, promising an imminent danger lurking just around the corner.

Although the knife salesman takes a backseat for most of the film, it becomes evident that he will later play a crucial role as the story unfolds. While additional depth to his character would have been welcome, this minor misstep is easily forgiven in light of the script's overall strength and the nuanced, understated performances from the rest of the cast. The fascinating characters that populate the film and the masterful buildup of tension that unexpectedly erupts midway through the story more than compensate for any shortcomings.

The Last Stop In Yuma County Isn’t Without Its Flaws

But they’re easy to overlook

The Last Stop in Yuma County's climax is not only shocking, but also unexpected, delivering one of the most thrilling moments one can ask for when watching a movie. However, after such a high, the film inevitably comes down, and the descent is not entirely pleasant. The final act is where the movie loses some of its footing, suddenly pulling us back into reality.

While the final act may push the limits of plausibility, the film's overall strength and captivation more than makes up for any minor weaknesses.

Starting off as a believable hostage drama that gradually escalates tension until it reaches an unexpected climax, the aftermath unfolds into a string of borderline absurd moments, prompting several reactions of disbelief. These improbable and unfortunate events continue to pile on for the knife salesman, who, for the majority of the movie, is a minor character. It’s a slightly disappointing moment, as when it's finally the knife salesman's moment to shine, his actions are nothing but foolish. The character isn't fully fleshed out, so the sequential choices he makes until the end of the film make little sense.

However, despite these shortcomings, the overall strength of the film's tension-building, unexpected climax, and the performances of the ensemble cast make it easy to overlook these flaws. While the final act may not live up to the rest of the movie, The Last Stop in Yuma County remains an engaging and memorable crime thriller that is, without a doubt, worth the watch.

The Last Stop in Yuma County is now playing in select theaters.