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Man on a Ledge

6/10

Stars: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Anthony Mackie, Jamie Bell, Ed Harris, Genesis Rodriguez, Edward Burns, Kyra Sedgwick, Bill Sadler

Director: Asger Leth

Though increasingly implausible, this complex thriller is undeniably entertaining as well. It does, though, disintegrate into contrived silliness at the end. Worthington, still battling unsuccessfully to conceal his Australian accent, is ex-cop Nick Cassidy, now serving 25 years in the pen for the theft of a large diamond from industrialist David Englander (an emaciated-looking Harris). His old partner (Mackie) is a sympathetic prison visitor, vowing to continue the battle on Nick's case.

But, at their father's funeral, Nick and his brother Joey (Bell) quarrel and fight, with Nick seizing on the ensuing turmoil to escape, fleeing to New York and ending up on a ledge above the street at the Roosevelt Hotel. He calls in a known hostage negotiator (Banks) to talk to him, but it's clear by now that something is Up and that Nick is playing for time.

It's commendably hard to tell who are the bad guys here at first, but battle lines are soon drawn, with Harris being handed the least plausible character and offering some uncharacteristic over-acting as a result. Casting overall, in fact, could have ben better, although there are severel very attractive actresses on display here, notably Banks, Rodriguez as Bell's gf and Pooja Kumar as Harris' statuesque PA. Unlike them, the film, though by no means unenjoyable, is completely unmemorable.

David Quinlan

USA/Canada 2012. UK Distributor: Entertainment-one. Colour by deluxe.
102 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 12A.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 1, Drugs 0, Swearing 1.

Review date: 29 Jan 2012