Man on a Ledge stars Sam Worthington as Nick Cassidy, a convicted criminal on the run who, upon escaping, decides that he will have to prove his innocence by threatening to jump off a hotel. While Lydia Mercer, the police psychologist played by Elizabeth Banks, attempts to talk Nick safely back into the hotel per Nick’s request, the biggest diamond heist ever is being committed only a block away. The diamond belongs to an aggressive and ruthless real estate tycoon named David Englander played by Ed Harris. In addition to the aforementioned stars, the film also features Jamie Bell, Ed Burns and Anthony Mackie. It’s directed by Asger Leth.
This is Asger Leth’s feature film debut and it isn’t a terrible one. He is able to deliver your stereotypical heist film in a way that manages to keep your attention and moderately engrossed while also exposing the typical pitfalls of films in this genre. What I mean by that is the film is made to be full of twists and turns but the problem is that you can usually foresee what’s going to happen because the script isn’t strong. The cast desperately tries to make it work, and gets it part of the time, but the twists aren’t sharp enough to make your jaw drop. The good part is that you won’t leave confused but you may have one or two questions about potential plot holes.
There are a few reasons why you should consider checking out Man on a Ledge this weekend. One of them has to do with the fact that yours truly makes an appearance as a NYPD officer (yes, I was an extra in the film). That alone should be enough, and don’t worry I’ll be signing autographs. Secondly, the film features the extremely sexy Genesis Rodriguez, who I am now considering as one of God’s greatest gifts to Earth. She has one scene that’ll have every guy turning their head and thinking to themselves “daaammmnnnn.” Lastly, if you enjoy heist films then, at least for me, it’s always cool to see how the heist unfolds and how they go about attempting to complete their mission. This film is no exception to the rule though their plan isn’t necessarily as intricate as you would hope for.
While moderately enjoyable, the film does have its share of “really?” moments and other annoyances due to some of the acting and the way the scenes are cut. Throughout the film we get glimpses of the jumper from the view of a reporter broadcasting the story, and she manages to say some stupid stuff. While I can’t quote most of her lines due to spoiler reasons, 
one thing she does is say her last name with a Spanish accent and then continues on, even though she is clearly this white lady withe a white accent. The entire theater laughed at her and thought it was just a ludicrous as I did. Also, Sam Worthington’s English accent kept slipping into the film which decreased the legitimacy of his character as a former NY cop (though I recently learned that you can be a naturalized citizen and become a cop in some states). Lastly, I actually thought Ed Harris did a poor job acting in this one. He had this overbearing voice as if he weighed 240 pounds when he really was this short guy who looked like a skull walking on toothpicks; it bothered me a lot for some reason.
Overall, Man on a Ledge feels a lot like a dry sandwich, the food is fine but its missing that essential condiment that would have propelled it to greatness (or at least make it above average). This one plays out like many heist films we’ve seen before except half of it takes place on a building ledge. It has its twists, it has its turns, it has a bit of sex appeal and some falsely intense moments but there isn’t enough umph to differentiate itself.
Rating: A decent popcorn flick that feels like its missing the required salt (5/10)
Recent Comments