In THE LAST SHIFT, two-time Academy Award nominee Richard Jenkins and budding star Shane Paul McGhie co-star as a fast-food worker and his incoming replacement. Writer/director Andrew Cohn makes his narrative directorial debut with the story of Stanley (Jenkins) who, after forty years on the job, has to train his replacement, Jevon (McGhie). Though they share many similarities, living on a tight budget inside a small town, their lives are worlds apart.
We asked both Jenkins and McGhie about their experience tackling these multi-dimensional characters. "It’s an amazing character I haven’t seen on film before. That’s one of the reasons I said 'yes, I’d like to do this,'" Jenkins said. "It’s really interesting to put these two together and see what happens."
McGhie found his character while experiencing the work and "[exploring] the space, the grill, the smell of grease" in the restaurant. He added that "collaborating with Andrew, who’s amazing — the Richard Jenkins, who was so awesome and so giving as an actor, was a great, great process."
"And we ate a lot of hot dogs," Jenkins joked, referring to the benefits of shooting a restaurant film in Chicago.
The movie is a comedy filled with wit and charm, but it tackles some serious issues. Jenkins spoke about the message behind the film, saying "they are two human beings in the end, and they have more in common than (especially) Stanely thinks." McGhie chimed in, "It’s got a lot to say."