Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie came out 14 years after Monk ended, and it confirmed a harsh reality about the show. There are quite a few harsh realities of Monk, but Mr. Monk’s Last Case addressed a surprising number of them. In the legacy sequel movie, Adrian’s (Tony Shalhoub) mental illness was treated with a lot of grace and understanding, it gave some updates about beloved characters, such as explaining what happened to Sharona (Bitty Schram) after she left Monk, and it felt like a worthwhile reunion. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 96%, Mr. Monk’s Last Case was also a resounding success.
For all of its advantages it had going for it, however, Mr. Monk’s Last Case also had some missteps. For instance, the investigation into Rick Eden (James Purefoy) was a bit underwhelming, and the revelation that he switched the measuring tape wasn’t incredibly surprising. Likewise, Mr. Monk’s Last Case effectively undid the ending of Monk and saw Adrian go right back to his peculiarities and mental health struggles. The worst part about the movie, however, is that it reconfirmed the harshest reality of Monk and proved that not even 14 years could fix it.
Mr. Monk’s Last Case Movie Followed The Same Formula As The Show
Just Like Monk Did, Mr. Monk’s Last Case Showed The Murder & The Culprit & Became A “How-Dunnit”
One of the hardest realities to face about the original show is that almost every episode of Monk is the same. Monk relied on its classic whodunnit formula for eight seasons – admittedly, to tremendous effect – and Mr. Monk’s Last Case went right back to the old recipe. The movie shows the murder, paints an obvious suspect, leaves some room for Adrian to do something whacky with his neuroses, and finally gives him a moment to figure everything out and deliver a “here’s what happened.” Essentially, Mr. Monk’s Last Case just stretched out a single episode of Monk into 90 minutes instead of 45.
I Love Monk’s Formula, But Mr. Monk’s Last Case Movie Could’ve Been More Innovative
Monk’s Formula Was Great For Eight Seasons, But I Expected More Out Of The Movie Revival
Monk‘s formula certainly works, and it helped the show endure for two decades now, but I wanted more out of Mr. Monk’s Last Case. I like Monk‘s formula because each episode is a bite-sized comfort show: I can watch an episode I haven’t seen in a while, try to figure out how the murder was committed, and have fun watching familiar characters doing familiar things. For a legacy sequel – and a movie, to boot – though, I wanted more. Mr. Monk’s Last Case could have done something wildly different with its structure to show just how much has changed in the 14 years since Monk ended, but it didn’t.
Some of the best parts of Mr. Monk’s Last Case are the parts that made it feel distinct from the show. Adrian’s suicidal thoughts in Mr. Monk’s Last Case, for instance, lent the movie a darker tone and a weightier message. Likewise, Molly added a new dynamic to the team of people supporting Adrian, which worked wonderfully. Those elements of Mr. Monk’s Last Case are the reason the movie is viewed as a worthwhile revival of Monk instead of a shallow, nostalgia-fueled cash-grab. Mr. Monk’s Last Case would have been even better if it had experimented more, instead of relying on Monk‘s formula yet again.
If Another Monk Movie Happens, It Should Try Something Different With The Characters
A Second Monk Movie Could Put Adrian In A Knives Out Situation & Expand More On Natalie, Randy, & Stottlemeyer
Since the first movie was such a success, there’s always a chance that there could be a Monk Movie 2 on the horizon. If a sequel to Mr. Monk’s Last Case ever gets made, I really hope it does something fresh and new with the beloved characters it has to work with. We can already see Adrian tackle “how-dunnits” for eight seasons of Monk, so wouldn’t it be more fun to watch him solve a murder that’s more akin to something like Knives Out? I would pay good money to see a movie that pits Adrian’s compulsions with the murder mystery dinner party style of the Hercule Poirot franchise.
We can already see Adrian tackle “how-dunnits” for eight seasons of Monk, so wouldn’t it be more fun to watch him solve a murder that’s more akin to something like Knives Out?
I also desperately hope that the Monk Movie 2 can bring new and exciting elements to the characters themselves. The sequel movie could explore Stottlemeyer’s retirement, Natalie’s job as a real estate agent, and finally let Randy stop being such an oaf. After two decades, we could finally get to see someone other than Adrian have some character development in Monk, and I really want a new movie to do exactly that. Even if it doesn’t, I hope the sequel to Mr. Monk’s Last Case does something new.
