Mediocrity, thy name is Man on a Ledge. Destined for dull Saturday nights on cable, this Inside Man wannabe is the kind of disposable Hollywood film that clogs theatres for the first few months of every year; bland, forgettable and nevertheless not terrible.
Not terrible isn’t a particularly positive review, but it’s one fitting of Ledge. It stars block-of-wood Sam Worthington as Nick Cassidy, the titular man and ex-cop who escapes prison and decries innocence of the crime he’s been convicted aloft the titular ledge. Said crime was robbing a gargantuan diamond from richy David Eglander (a spitting-mad Ed Harris). High in the sky Nick shouts his desire to be freed permanently or he might just so go splat on the people watching below. Negotiator Lydia Mercer (a fairly miscast Elizabeth Banks) comes to talk Nick down, specifically requested by the guilty man.
Things of course are not entirely what they seem.
While the trailers and commercials do their best to give away all but the last few frames of Man on a Ledge, you won’t find further details here. Yes the terrific Jamie Bell is involved in the picture as Nick’s younger brother. The equally excellent Anthony Mackie also pops up in an important role as Nick’s old partner. That’s all being given away on this review.
Director Asger Leth does a capable job of creating the movie’s world. Until things get a tad silly in its final act, Leth really shows the treacherous heights upon which Nicks stands over. There’s a nice sense of space constructed, hopping between the handful of points of reaction; the scandal seeking newsgroup below, the bewildered police in the hotel, etc.
Pablo F. Fenjves’ script sets the stage with minimal exposition, lending the film a breezy nature. While there are some ludicrous circumstances to kick things off, Ledge levels off rather quickly...before falling apart just as fast. As one plot twist after another begins to pile up, Ledge descends from light entertainment to cumbersome nonsense. Gravelly-voiced Worthington smirks and taunts, never doing anything surprising or especially captivating. With a more capable actor – perhaps Mr. Bell or Mackie – in the lead, the story’s weakness could be ignored a tad easier.
There are so many good films out currently; it would be an utter waste to spend your time watching Man on a Ledge. In February of 2014, while you’re unloading the dishwasher, that’s the prime time.
Man on a Ledge opens wide all across Seattle today.
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