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THE LAST GAMBLE”

Elizabeth Heaton enjoys a successful psychiatric practice in upper Manhattan, and a long-term relationship with her Commodities Broker boyfriend, Michael. A weekend retreat to Palm Beach takes an unexpected turn when Elizabeth falls into a passionate one-night stand with Billy Lauder. Wracked by guilt and embarrassment, she returns to New York, concerned about preserving her future with Michael.

Meantime, one of Elizabeth’s patients, Joe Goode, battles a serious gambling addition which threatens both his job and his reputation. Living in a sparse, middle-class home with his long-suffering mother, he holds on to the belief that one big score, the win that will put an end to all his troubles, is just around the corner.

Elizabeth’s life takes a decided turn for the worse when Billy tracks her to New York, intent on furthering their relationship. Her attempts at reason have not effect, and only lead to threatening messages, the ransacking of her office and apartment, and the brutal assault of a colleague. Regretfully confessing her infidelity to Michael only serves to place even greater distance between the couple. When the authorities prove ineffectual in protecting her from the increasingly-unhinged Billy, Elizabeth searches desperately for a place to turn.

After Joe loses his job, and his mother receives repeated phone threats from angry bookies and loan sharks, he is forced to confront the depths his sickness has brought him to. Alienating friends and loved ones, Joe quickly exhausts all avenues in reducing his mounting debt. Faced with being blackballed all over the city, his fear and paranoia are further heightened by the sudden, shocking death of a close friend. With his mother safely on a bus heading out of town, Joe searches desperately for a place to turn.

As a last resort, Elizabeth and Joe hatch a dangerous and daring plan they pray will solve
both their problems. No matter what the outcome, each will realize the misguided choices
have now brought them to an extreme solution that will alter their lives forever.
Mr. Goodavage is a writer, producer, and director. From local cable spots to independent film projects, Mr. Goodavage has produced a small but high quality body of work. In 2008, Mr. Goodavage started his own production company, Last Gamble Productions, llc. with partner Phil Maladrino, who began producing commercials. Mr. Goodavage produced and directed over 75 New York based commercials for companies such as Comfort Inn, Curves, and Parker Meridian Hotels and Zeppis Restaurant to name a few. Also, he has directed CEO types for a Wall Street online video publication RiskCenter Video.com

Mr. Goodavage’s television production, The Sports Edge, educated women on sports, and his Performing Arts Weekly, both televised on Manhattan Time Warner Cable, brought the world of New York arts into prospective.

As a screenwriter Mr. Goodavage has written three screenplays that were all produced into feature films. The first, which marked his directorial debut, was the independent film, Undertaker’s Dozen, dealing with the dark side of addiction, won Best Original Feature Film in the New York Independent Film Festival in November of 2003. An adaptation of Undertaker’s Dozen was produced into 12 television episodes (also written by Goodavage) aired on Metro TV in 2004/5.

Realizing his flair for dark character driven drama, Mr. Goodavage, created another gritty independent film, Blood and Honor, which went on to win Best Drama and Best Director at the Las Vegas Film Festival in July of 2004 and Best Drama in the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival. Retribution, Mr. Goodavage’s third independent film earned him his second award for Best Director at the 2006 New York Independent and International Film and Video Festival. Mr. Goodavage completed his fourth screenplay, The Last Gamble and is currently in post production which stars Steven Bauer (ScareFace), Nick Mancuso (Under Seige), John Savage (Deer Hunter) .and Sally Kirkland (Anna) and is slated for Venice and Sundance Film Festivals.

In addition to his film work, Mr. Goodavage has decided to sign on as a producer of the upcoming Broadway political comedy,
The Bald Eagles, to be directed by Obie Winner Tony Lobianco and co-produced with Tony Noto of the off Broadway phenomena, The Fantastics.

Mr. Goodavage has a unique ability to motivate people and entice them to give his or her very best thereby enabling him to produce big projects cost effectively.