HER LAST WILL

Most of the cast of Her Last Will

HER LAST WILL (aka Beneficiary/2016). Director: Anthony DiBlasi. 

Dina Cotton (Harriet Samson Harris) is a wealthy widow who keeps strict control over the lives of her three children -- or else. When she announces that she's leaving millions -- annually -- to the Philharmonic, her daughter Iona (Fiona Dourif of Cult of Chucky) exclaims that it's their (her children's) money, to which Dina replies that it's actually hers. Dina won't tolerate that one son, Harold (Michael Grazeidei), is gay, so he has to meet up with boyfriends in secret. The other son, Gil (Patrick Fischier), is a creep who constantly cheats on his wife; his latest conquest is his mother's lawyer, Leslie (Lauren Bowles). Dina may be an unsympathetic harridan, but her three children are spineless losers who allow her to dictate their every action. Together they decide to hire Maggie (Rya Kihlstedt) -- a woman with a past (both in the Army and in the penitentiary) -- to rig their mother's mansion in order to drive her crazy. Then her will can be declared invalid.

Samson and Grazeidei

Her Last Will is well-acted and suspenseful, with some very interesting twists. Harriet Samson Harris made her mark in sitcoms as a brash and sarcastic character but while the plot certainly contains occasions for comedy, the movie is basically played straight. In spite of this, Samson gives a very good performance. Patrick Fischier, who plays Gil, wrote the story for the film. Her Last Will was apparently released in theaters, but it comes off more like an above-average made-for-cable movie. In any case, it's quite entertaining. 

Verdict: Nasty people doing nasty things -- and loving it! ***.