“A slow boil of diner terror saved by Jessica Belkin’s fierce lead performance.”

In Last Straw, director Alan C. Peterson takes a stab at rural horror, setting the stage in an eerily isolated roadside diner where chaos unfurls during one fateful night. The film serves up a premise brimming with promise but ultimately struggles to bring its ingredients together into a fully satisfying dish. What salvages the movie is Jessica Belkin’s standout performance, which adds surprising depth and urgency to an otherwise uneven thriller.

The story unfolds at Nancy’s Diner, a small-town eatery with a big attitude problem, thanks to its hard-nosed owner Nancy (Jessica Belkin). After firing her unreliable staff, Nancy decides to take on the final shift herself, unaware that she’s about to endure the longest and most dangerous night of her life. As the hours tick by, sinister forces make their presence known, and the diner becomes the site of a gruesome killing spree.

At its core, Last Straw is a survival horror flick with a claustrophobic atmosphere and a handful of brutal set pieces. The film explores themes of isolation, regret, and resilience, but its attempts to dive into deeper emotional territory often feel half-baked.

Strengths: Jessica Belkin Shines

Belkin carries the film with a steely yet vulnerable portrayal of Nancy, a woman grappling with her own mistakes while facing an escalating nightmare. Her performance is magnetic, injecting the character with a fiery determination that keeps viewers invested even when the narrative falters. Belkin’s ability to oscillate between fear, rage, and resolve anchors the film, making Nancy a compelling final girl in a genre that thrives on them.

Weaknesses: Familiarity Breeds Predictability

Unfortunately, Last Straw falters under the weight of its overly familiar tropes. From the “lone survivor in a remote location” setup to the predictably unhinged antagonist, the film rarely ventures beyond well-trodden ground. The tension is intermittently effective but often deflated by an over-reliance on jump scares and a sluggish pace that drags in the middle act.

The film’s attempts at psychological depth—manifested in Nancy’s flashbacks and inner turmoil—feel surface-level and fail to connect meaningfully with the larger narrative. Supporting characters are largely forgettable, serving more as cannon fodder than as contributors to the story.

Atmosphere and Direction

Despite its shortcomings, Peterson creates a suitably menacing atmosphere. The diner’s confined space and harsh fluorescent lighting lend a sense of suffocating dread, while the sound design amplifies every creak, shatter, and scream. These elements provide occasional sparks of genuine tension, though they’re often squandered by a meandering script.

The Prognosis:

Last Straw is far from groundbreaking, but Jessica Belkin’s commanding performance elevates it above the realm of forgettable indie horror. The film’s hook—a nightmarish scenario in a seemingly mundane diner—is strong enough to keep viewers intrigued, even if the execution leaves much to be desired.

For horror fans who don’t mind a predictable ride with a few sharp turns, Last Straw might be worth a late-night viewing. But for those seeking innovation or depth, this is one diner where the menu doesn’t quite deliver.

• Saul Muerte