New York city is the setting for the suspense film, Man on a Ledge.
And the Roosevelt Hotel on Madison Avenue, fortunately, has a fairly wide ledge, particularly on the 21st floor.
That’s a good thing, as Nick Cassidy (played by Sam Worthington) spends 90 per cent of the show on that ledge.
If this was the extent of the plot –– a would-be jumper being talked down by a trained negotiator –– it would be boring and tedious, but Man on the Ledge is far from boring, and the ledge is just the tip of the iceberg in a show full of misdirection, twists and turns, not to mention a surprise ending.
Nick, accused of stealing from the ‘Trumpesque” self-made billionaire David Englander (Ed Harris), escapes Sing Sing by slipping away from authorities after getting a day pass to attend his father’s funeral. And then the fun really begins.
Nick checks into the Roosevelt, has a great meal, and then slips onto the ledge, and stays there.
We don’t see movies like this much anymore –– no nudity, little swearing and few over-the-top special effects. Sure there are fights and car chases, but the real show is in the moments of suspense, the moments of surprise, the heroes, the villains and the moments of humour.
This is a great Saturday night movie, with a good cast. Sam Worthington, the Australian who played the lead in Avatar, is Nick, who in desperation seeks to draw attention to his innocence in a very public way.
Elizabeth Banks, who will soon be seen in The Next Three Days with Russell Crowe, plays the negotiator, with baggage of her own, and seeks to draw Cassidy off the ledge before he leaps to his death.
Jamie Bell plays the brother, Joey Cassidy, and might be remembered for his role in Billy Elliot. Kyra Sedgwick is great as the “pit bull” news reporter, Suzie Morales. Ed Burns also gives a good performance, as do the rest of the cast.
Best line (spoken by the negotiator to Nick Cassidy): “If you’re lying to me, I’ll push you off myself.”
So grab some popcorn and be prepared for a good movie. Right to the end, we’re just not sure how it will unfold and when it does, it’s a surprise. Yup, I think you’ll like it. I did
I’ll give Man on a Ledge four reels out of five (unless you’re afraid of heights.)
–– Susan Steen is a non-profit executive and movie buff living in Kelowna.
