Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna

Explores the life and career of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, and her death on the set of Rust. Additionally exploring the lawsuits, criminal trials, and investigations. The project seeks to redeem the story of Hutchins, whose story was minimized by the media.

Rachel Mason was a close friend of Hutchins, and was approached by her husband, Matthew Hutchins, to make a documentary revolving around her life.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/artisans/columns/halyna-hutchins-rachel-mason-friend-tribute-1235097293/|title=Filmmaker Rachel Mason Remembers Halyna Hutchins: 'She Pushed Me Into So Many Places' (Guest Column)|website=Variety|first=Rachel|last=Mason|date=October 27, 2021|access-date=February 26, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/rust-documentary-trailer-halyna-hutchins-death-1235280380/|title=Rust Cast and Crew React to Halyna Hutchins Death in Real Time in New Documentary Trailer|website=Rolling Stone|first=Larisha|last=Paul|date=February 26, 2025|access-date=February 26, 2025}} Mason received approval to film the resuming of production on Rust interviewing Joel Souza and Bianca Cline, among others.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/rust-documentaries-alec-baldwin-halyna-hutchins-trial-1235940515/|title=As Alec Baldwin Heads to Trial, Dueling 'Rust' Documentaries Become Part of Tangled Drama|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Rebecca|last=Keegan|date=July 8, 2024|access-date=February 26, 2025}} Mason reached out to Alec Baldwin who declined to participate, as he is working on another documentary about production of Rust with Rory Kennedy.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2025/artisans/features/rust-documentary-halyna-hutchins-alec-baldwin-1236327348/|title=Director of 'Rust' Documentary Reflects on Halyna Hutchins' Death: 'I've Changed My Whole Idea of What Justice Means'|website=Variety|first=Carolyn|last=Giardina|date=March 11, 2025|access-date=March 19, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/stauffer-family-documentary-director-vlogging-regulations-1235915206/|title=Director Rachel Mason Talks New Series on Family Vlogging and Status of 'Rust' Documentary|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Katie|last=Kilkenny|date=June 6, 2024|access-date=January 19, 2025}}

In November 2022, it was announced a documentary revolving around Hutchens was in production, with Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan set to executive produce via Story Syndicate, alongside Matthew Hutchins.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/11/rust-cinematographer-doc-in-works-from-story-syndicate-rachel-mason-1235174123/|title='Rust' Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins Getting Docu Treatment From Story Syndicate, Director Rachel Mason; Project Authorized By DP's Husband Matt Hutchins|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Matt|last=Grobar|date=November 16, 2022|access-date=February 26, 2025}}

It was released on March 11, 2025, by Hulu.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/rust-doc-halyna-hutchins-hulu-premiere-1236298484/|title='Rust' Doc Examining Halyna Hutchins Accidental Death and Aftermath to Premiere on Hulu|website=Variety|first=Carolyn|last=Giardina|date=February 6, 2025|access-date=February 26, 2025}}

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|83||12}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/last_take_rust_and_the_story_of_halyna|title=Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=May 4, 2025}} {{Metacritic film prose|67|4|ref=yes|access-date=March 19, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/last-take-rust-and-the-story-of-halyna/|title=Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna|website=Metacritic|access-date=March 19, 2025}}

Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times wrote: "Last Take is a gut-wrenching reminder of a terrible tragedy that happened because mistakes were up and down the line, mistakes that were easily preventable if only the proper and safe measures had been taken."{{cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2025/03/10/last-take-review-hulu-rust-documentary-halyna-hutchins-alec-baldwin|title=Heartbreaking doc 'Last Take' sums up the spirit of a skilled film artist and the errors that took her life|website=Chicago Sun-Times|first=Richard|last=Roeper|date=March 10, 2025|access-date=March 19, 2025}} Joe Leyden of Variety wrote: "Director Rachel Mason’s Hulu documentary about her late friend is evenhanded and impactful in its pursuit of truth beyond tabloid headlines."{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/last-take-rust-story-of-halyna-review-halyna-hutchins-1236334933/|title='Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna' Review: A Fascinating Probe Into the Death of Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins|website=Variety|first=Joe|last=Leyden|date=March 11, 2025|access-date=March 19, 2025}}

Natalia Winkelman of The New York Times criticized the film's approach writing: "Despite testimony from Hutchins’s friends that repeatedly references her artistry, Mason rarely incorporates clips of Hutchins’s cinematography outside “Rust.”{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/movies/last-take-rust-and-the-story-of-halyna-review.html|title='Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna' Review: Confusing Accounts|website=The New York Times|first=Natalia|last=Winkelman|date=March 11, 2025|access-date=March 19, 2025}} Additional criticism of its approach was made by Joel Souza at a post-screening Q&A for the film directed towards director Rachel Mason and producer Julee Metz, stating: "I hoped it might have a little more Halyna in it or been a little more about Halyna. I know that was your original intention when you talked to me about it. And I could tell when we would talk over the years in the intervening time that you were under some pressure.”"{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/rust-doc-screening-halyna-hutchins-1236155119/|title=A Tense 'Rust' Doc Screening Reveals the Painful Evolution of a Film About Dead Cinematographer|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Rebecca|last=Keegan|date=March 5, 2025|access-date=March 19, 2025}} Mason in an interview responded by stating: "Initially, it was a more independent, keeping-your-head down, doing-what-you-want kind of film. Then it became more commercial. Not just commercial—there were absolute, pressing questions the public had. It was a news story. The public is asking these things. If we don’t try to answer them, there will be a question hanging over the film."{{cite web|url=https://decider.com/2025/03/11/last-take-rust-and-the-story-of-halyna-hutchins-documentary-hulu-director-interview-rachel-mason/|title='Last Take' Director Says Her 'Rust' Doc About Friend Halyna Hutchins "Became More Commercial" Along The Way: "Sometimes Executives Tell You You Have To" (UPDATED)|website=Decider.com|first=Anna|last=Menta|date=March 11, 2025|access-date=March 19, 2025}} Sam Adams of Slate wrote in his review: "If the movie has a villain, it’s those same commercial incentives."{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/culture/2025/03/alec-baldwin-rust-movie-documentary-halyna-hutchins.html|title=A Harrowing Documentary Examines Who's to Blame for the Rust Shooting|website=Slate|first=Sam|last=Adams|date=March 11, 2025|access-date=March 19, 2025}}

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Category:2025 documentary films

Category:2025 films

Category:2020s English-language films

Category:2020s American films

Category:American documentary films

Category:Documentary films about films

Category:Documentary films about cinematography

Category:Documentary films about crime in the United States

Category:Story Syndicate films

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Category:Hulu original films