Mr. Monk’s Last Case review: A familiar Monk, but one you haven’t seen before

The infamous Mr. Adrian Monk returns with Tony Shalhoub reprising his role from the original 2002 series. Mr. Monk’s Last Case brings us back to the beloved detective as he solves one final murder case that hits close to home and die-hard fans see a new side to him.

Monkifiers have been dreaming of the day that the well-renowned San Francisco detective would return. It’s been 14 years since the premiere of the finale episode where Monk finally solved Trudy’s murder case. Having also learned that Trudy’s daughter was alive, Monk was able to move on from the gripping guilt he had endured.

Mr. Monk’s Last Case brings the character back in a post-pandemic world and Monk has only Molly (Caitlin McGee) and Dr. Bell left to care for him. When tragedy strikes, he’s back in the saddle solving a homicide case that chatters Molly’s heart.

Without any spoilers, Dexerto’s review of Mr. Monk’s Last Case dives into familiar characters, details, and whether Monk is just as you remember.

A new murder mystery has Monk looking back at his life

To start, the movie’s timeline takes place after the pandemic, where everyone has become their own version of Monk. Just as the pandemic affected thousands of people, it also affected Monk in a way that drives the movie into darker and never before explored territory. He has always been known for his OCD tendencies, germaphobia, and inability to pick up social cues. But his strategic and intelligent mind always kept him afloat as he wrestled with his guilt over Trudy’s death.

Mr. Monk’s Last Case may surprise you with how familiar Monk is, but how different he has also become over the years. Despite having moved on, Trudy returns in a new way that’s better left for you to see for yourself. Monk once again fights an internal fight.

Intermixed in his own personal journey is a murder case as expected. With Molly in his life, Monk would do anything to keep the last connection to Trudy happy. But tragedy strikes when Molly’s fiancé is murdered and it’s up to Monk to solve the case and say, “Here’s what happened.”

By all accounts, the solving of the murder is a blast from the past – literally. Familiar faces like Natalie Teeger, Randy Disher, and Leland Stottlemeyer band together to help their beloved friend make things right for Molly. The band’s back together and arouses the very much-needed tears after so many years apart.

Mr. Monk’s Last Case is what you’d expect from the original cast as they solve the murder. The typical Natalie supporting Monk, Leland being skeptical of their suspect, and Randy coming up with bizarre theories. But you may find that Monk’s personal journey adds to or muddles the overall reunion in a way that may be too emotionally heavy.

The cast is better than ever

It would be next to impossible not to have a Monk reunion movie without the original cast. While watching, it feels as if 14 years haven’t gone by at all as Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford, Ted Levine, Héctor Elizondo, and Shalhoub look just as good as ever. With that comes their innate chemistry on screen as friends and coworkers come together after so many years.

The movie does its job of giving needed updates on the characters that are satisfying enough, like Natalie’s marriage hinted in the final episodes, Randy and Sharona, and Leland and TK.

Shalhoub once again taps into Monk’s ability to see clues no one else has, and his inability to let a killer get away with it. Not to mention, Monk’s OCD tendencies. Above all, Shalhoub portrays the beloved character’s emotionally broken facade that often hindered him in the original series – adding a new level of sympathy for the character.

The only caveat of the movie is its film style, which can seem wonky and out of place at times. There’s a slight lack of cohesion and seamlessness throughout the movie when it comes to certain scenes.

Mr. Monk’s Last Case review score: 3/5

As a die-hard fan who binged-watched the series more times than humanly possible, the movie is a welcome treat. The characters are just as you may remember, and maybe even better. Just like the original series, you will find yourself trying to solve the murder case alongside Monk.

Overall, the movie’s shift in tone with Monk adds a somewhat upsetting outlook to how we last remember him. While Monk has always dealt with his emotions on his own, the series finale added hope as he let go a little to live his own life. It almost feels as if we’re back to square one post-pandemic.

For Monkifiers, Mr. Monk’s Last Case is everything we could have hoped for with the cast’s return, a juicy murder mystery, but a take on Monk that needs a tissue box.

You can find more of Dexerto’s TV & Movies content here, out review of Thanksgiving here, Disney’s Wish here.