Man on a Ledge (Summit)
Rated PG-13 for violence and brief strong language.
Starring Sam Worthington, Ed Harris, Elizabeth Banks, Anthony Mackie,
Jamie Bell, Génesis Rodríguez, Kyra Sedgwick.
Written by Pablo Fenjves.
Directed by Asger Leth.
GRADE: D
REVIEW:
Sam Worthington is Australian, that much is sure. If ever there were any doubt, one would need to watch only a few minutes of Man on a Ledge to clearly hear his Aussie dialect - even though he plays a former New York City cop.
Worthington plays Nick Cassidy, a former police officer convicted on a false charge of stealing a tycoon's (Ed Harris) prized diamond. After escaping, he hatches a plot with his brother Joey (Jamie Bell - whose English accent slips from time to time) and Joey's hot girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) to steal the diamond (which was not stolen, but hidden in the tycoon's Manhattan high-rise safe) to exonerate himself.
The plot involves a rouse of pretending to be a suicidal man on the ledge of a NYC high rise hotel across the street from the tycoon's lair, providing a distraction for Joey and Angie to break into the safe. The plan also involves a demand from Nick that notorious hostage negotiator Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) be involved in talking him down from the ledge.
As the plot unfolds, shots are fired, the plan hits a few snags, and the principal players get their due.
Man on a Ledge is a film that needs an emphatic shove off a ledge. The plot is as silly as Worthington's aforementioned fake American accent (sorry, Mate!), which matches his equally fake-looking hair. There are many other lousy elements of Man on a Ledge, including a cartoonish portrayal of a TV reporter (Kyra Sedgewick) who conveniently fills in the plot holes with inane "live TV" commentary.
Films released in January usually belong in the movie dustbin, but Man on a Ledge is an early front runner to make my "Worst" list for 2012. It's early, but who knows?
