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Man on a Ledge (2012)

Director: Asger Leth

Time Out rating

Average user rating

6 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

‘Today’s the day that everything changes – one way or another.’ They’re the words of disgraced cop and escaped convict Nick (Sam Worthington) as he prepares to step on to the window ledge of a Manhattan hotel. Is he suicidal or is a plot afoot? It doesn’t take long to find out in this popcorn thriller that throws a conspiracy and a heist into the mix. It turns out Nick has been convicted of stealing a diamond from tycoon David Englander (Ed Harris), a villainous character who leaves us in no doubt as to Nick’s innocence. But the cops are far more concerned with preventing Nick from jumping several storeys in front of the baying crowds gathered for the show.

If the rubberneckers add a touch of much-needed believability, the realism ends there. The main action comes from a cunning plan involving Nick’s brother Joey, who, as played by Jamie Bell, is a more interesting character than his wobbly-accented sibling. While Nick is fobbing off police officer Lydia (a solid Elizabeth Banks), Joey and his clothes-shy girlfriend, Angie (Genesis Rodriguez), grapple with security cameras and wriggle through air ducts in a nearby building. There’s more than a whiff of the TV series ‘Prison Break’ about Joey’s protective-brother act, not to mention the tidy pace and brazen implausibilities that escalate towards a ridiculous ending. But preposterousness can be forgivable in a B-movie clock-ticker – at least to fans of the genre. This embraces its own lunacy readily enough, never aiming for anything more than the disposable thrills it delivers thick and fast.

Author: Anna Smith

Time Out London Issue 2163: Feb 2-8, 2012

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User reviews of this film

scrumpyjack said...

Posted on Feb 09 2012 22:41 Made 20 years back without the high tec guff would have improved things no end. As it is? JUST worth a cheap/free viewing. 6/10

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rogerrabbit said...

Posted on Feb 09 2012 13:03 would rather jump off the ledge!!!!!!!!

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rogerrabbit said...

Posted on Feb 09 2012 13:03 would rather jump off the ledge!!!!!!!!

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ARCHGATE said...

Posted on Feb 07 2012 09:48 Sam Worthington and Jamie Bell are miscast in this film. It's all silly nonsense about a wronged man clearing his name. This is "Tower Heist" without the fun and big music. A great shame because it could have been a corker.

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Ray said...

Posted on Feb 05 2012 11:34 Brilliant film more to it than the obvious

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Ian said...

Posted on Feb 04 2012 17:09 Don't believe the reviewer this is a better film than she says.
Ok it doesn't stretch the imagination phenomenally as it is basically a wronged mans attempt to clear his name.
Its a film that has been made dozens of times before and you throw in a comic strip badguy and a few corrupt cops for good measure.
Leaving this aside there is a degree of warmth between Banks and Worthington and the play on the negotiator down on confidence and in need of someone to believe in is hadly novel but well played.
It isn't the best film of its genre as corrupt cops and good and evil is done much better in the Departed and the crime with a twist better in Inside Man but as 90 minutes of entertainment it isn't bad. Its really quite good.
I enjoyed it enough for 3 stars not enough for 4.

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