Archived: Review: Man on a Ledge (2012) - archived

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When escaped convict Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) turns up on a ledge outside a New York hotel, police psychologist Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) is called in at special request as she may be the only person Nick can trust. Embroiled in police corruption, Nick was put behind bars wrongly thanks to business tycoon David Englander (Ed Harris) who accused him of stealing a huge diamond, one that Nick with the help of his brother Joey (Jamie Bell) and his girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) are attempting to steal for the first time.

It’s a rather intricately folded plot that doesn’t really put all the pieces together correctly like a child with a jigsaw. We learn that Nick was put behind bars thanks to a few corrupt cops trying to make their way and a diamond that Nick is accused of stealing and breaking up into a million pieces to make it untraceable. Nick knows he didn’t do it and so to expose the immorality enlists his brother and his far-too-good-looking-for-him girlfriend in a plot to reveal the truth. This involves stealing the diamond that they were accused of stealing in the first place, oh the irony!

The bulk of the film plays out the heist which turns out to be a waste of time anyway mixed with the tension of our man on the ledge. It’s clear though that Nick never plans on jumping, this somewhat kills any suspense we might have built up after the early retreat out of the window. We’re left then with the kids breaking into the vault and even this lacks any sort of excitement – unless you count Genesis Rodriguez in her underwear?

Without wanting to give too much away (which might be too late), the whole escape is started when Nick’s partner Mike Ackerman (Anthony Mackie) comes to tell him that his father has passed away, allowing Nick a day out from behind the bars. Later, we learn that one of the hotel porters in on the plot is actually Nick’s father, alive and well. Did Mike not recognise him? Not search for a death certificate? Not check the coffin? Just accept that this man is dead?

More ridiculousness comes from the end scene, inside a bar celebrations erupt that Nick is now a free man. I refuse to believe that just because they show that Englander had a diamond that Nick is allowed to walk free from prison? He was tried and sentenced, he would have to go back to court to prove his innocence wouldn’t he? What about the who perverting the cause of justice as he stood atop a ledge, closing businesses, roads and wasting police time and resources whilst other crimes go on elsewhere – namely across the road?

The film didn’t sit right with me, promising tension in what appeared to be a Phone Booth like thriller, but instead we get a wacky caper that’s rather short on set pieces, logic or excitement.

Archived: Review: Man on a Ledge (2012) - archived
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