The Last Stop in Yuma County is the directorial debut of Francis Gallupi. It is a neo-noir film that has a group of people all stranded in Yuma County. The stakes are raised higher with criminals afoot and tensions rising. I won’t go further into the film as spoilers will ruin it.

Francis Gallupi is able to craft together a film that progressively adds more gasoline to the tension. An excellent cast that consists of Jim Cummins, Jocelin Donahue, and Richard Brake to name a few. We get some convincing performances that help with the thrills of the story. I found myself wondering with so many characters if anyone would stand out more than the other. It turns out that’s not the case as the chemistry and performances all blend seamlessly. Although it has a big cast confined to a small setting, the film continues to feel grand with its characters.

A big character in itself is the setting of the desert town that gives the film more charm. We don’t really get a lot of desert films nowadays so it’s always refreshing to see one. I enjoyed that the setting was a big part of the plot and not just done for aesthetics. I did find myself intrigued by the story at first and how it felt like almost an urban legend. A huge ensemble like this, however, you do feel that more time would have given better resolutions to some characters. I just wish we got some of these characters more fleshed out.

I do have to say there is a practical effect by the end of the movie that left me with my jaw on the floor. The ending did feel a bit hollow and not really as impactful as I hoped. This doesn’t really take away from the film, but I feel it could have had a bigger impact. Overall, it’s still a great film for anyone looking for a contained story with high risks.

WE GIVE THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY A 3.7/5