Film: Man On A Ledge
Rating: PG 13
TC Rating: 2.5 / 5.0
by Adria DeLaune
For a movie that cost nearly an arm and a leg to make ($42 million USD to be exact), there sure isn’t much bang for the buck in this one! Man On A Ledge, starring Sam Worthington as former cop Nick Cassidy, promised twists and turns and major drama. To say this film failed to deliver is the understatement of the year.
Much of the movie takes place, as expected, on a ledge. The special effects are good enough to be believable but not so good that viewers will forget they are watching a lukewarm storyline and poorly written dialogue. There were a few twists and a few turns, but the drama in this film was lackluster. All in all, this movie was predictable.
Ex-cop Nick Cassidy is on a mission to prove himself innocent and he’s willing to go to any height (literally) to do it. After checking into The Roosevelt Hotel, Cassidy climbs out of a window and on to the ledge of the hotel where he is determined to stay until his innocence is proven. Throughout the film, we witness Cassidy attempt to build something of a relationship with psychologist Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks), who has a bevy of her own psychological problems. Mercer is torn between buying in to Cassidy’s innocence and taking orders from fellow police psychologist Jack Dougherty (played by Edward Burns). Veteran actor Ed Harris stars as real estate mogul David Englander, who has accused Cassidy of stealing his most valuable asset, a $40 million diamond. The movie follows Joey Cassidy as he and his girlfriend attempt to re-steal the diamond in an effort to prove his brother’s innocence as Cassidy directs them from atop the ledge of the Roosevelt Hotel across the street. The rest of the movie goes exactly as you would expect it to…just when you think the good guy gets ahead, he doesn’t. And just when you think he can’t possibly, he does. Over and over again.
That being said, the movie did have a few high points. Elizabeth Banks is believable in a no-nonsense role. Newcomer Jamie Bell shines as Cassidy’s brother, Joey, and Bill Sadler is a highlight as the quirky hotel concierge. Still, these three performances weren’t enough to make watching the movie an enjoyable experience.
And just in case you were wondering, the movie barely broke even at the box office bringing in a final revenue count of just above its 42 million dollar price tag. The survey says: Skip this one.
