Last Rites | 80's Movie Guide

Taglines: Passion. Betrayal. Revenge. Last Rites movie synopsis. Father Michael is a New York priest with close ties to the Mafia crime syndicate — his father is a don. The priest's brother-in-law Gino, a mafia boss, is murdered while having sex with Angela, a mistress. She narrowly escapes by hiding in a bathroom and locking the door. Pursued by hitmen, the mistress comes to the priest for confession. She's afraid to go to the police so Father Mike agrees to meet her at her choice of location. A cab driver transports him to a loft apartment, telling him a sorrowful tale of how Angela has helped him and his wife with the grief over losing a young son. Father Mike confronts her about knowing his relationship to Gino. She denies knowing the connection. When the two encounter the hitmen, the priest is wounded and one of the hitmen recognizes Father Mike. Angela hides in his church. She tells him it was Gino's wife who shot him. Gino is buried, and Father Mike glares across the casket at his sister Zena, having seen her with the hitmen when he was shot. He speaks to his father, who says he expects to lose at his racketeering trial and be sent to prison. The Don tells the priest that his sister wants to run the business, but he has said no since she's a woman. As they leave the cemetery, the hitman tells the Don and Zena that he recognized Michael. Zena comes to confession and tells Father Mike that she knows of him helping the girl. The priest begins to fall in love with Angela. He meets best friend Nuzo, a detective and godson of his father. Nuzo tells him not to trust her. He tells Mike that Gino gave evidence to a rival crime syndicate, which sealed the Don's fate, in return for 5 million dollars. Nuzo tells him to sit tight while he makes an arrest, but Nuzo is gunned down, dying in Mike's arms. Father Mike and Angela flee to Mexico, heading for her village. For the first time the priest violates his vows and they have sex. In the morning she is gone. Meanwhile, the Don finds out they are in Mexico and sends Zena to kill the girl. Father Mike races to catch up to Angela, thwarting another hitman along the way. He arrives in the village in time for a festival. Last Rites is a 1988 thriller film written and directed by Donald P. Bellisario and starring Tom Berenger, Daphne Zuniga, Chick Vennera, Anne Twomey, Dane Clark, Paul Dooley, Vassili Lambrinos, Adrian Paul, Deborah Pratt, Christine Poor and Troian Bellisario. Last Rites (1988) Directed by: Donald P. Bellisario Starring: Tom Berenger, Daphne Zuniga, Chick Vennera, Anne Twomey, Dane Clark, Paul Dooley, Vassili Lambrinos, Adrian Paul, Deborah Pratt, Christine Poor, Troian Bellisario Screenplay by: Donald P. Bellisario Production Design by: Peter S. Larkin Cinematography by: David Watkin Film Editing by: Pembroke J. Herring Costume Design by: Joseph G. Aulisi Set Decoration by: Steven J. Jordan Art Direction by: Victor Kempster Music by: Bruce Broughton Distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Release Date: November 18, 1988