ÿþ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=EmulateIE7" /> <meta name="keywords" content="movie review, movie reviews, dvd reviews, blu-ray reviews, recent movie grades" /> <title>True View Reviews</title> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="../../tvr.ico" type="image/x-icon" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../cssnew/index.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../cssnew/review_list.css" /> </head> <body> <!-- The wrapper division encloses the whole page --> <div class="wrapper"> <a name="top" /> <!-- The header division encloses the page header --> <div class="header"> <a href="../../index.htm"> <img alt="TVRBanner" src="../../graphics/TVRBanner.png" class="trueviewlogo" /> </a> </div> <!-- The content division includes the posters new items, annoucements, copy right & certification areas of the page --> <div class="content"> <div class="moviedata"> <div id="rightpane"> <div class="moviename"> MAN ON A LEDGE </div> <div class="releasedata"> <a class="releasedata1">Release Date: </a><a class="moviedataitalic">Friday, January 27, 2012</a> <a class="releasedata2">Runtime: </a><a class="moviedataitalic">1 Hour(s), 42 Minutes</a> </div> <div class="genre"> <a class="releasedata1">Genre: </a><a class="moviedataitalic">Crime, Thriller</a> </div> <div class="rating"> <a class="releasedata1">MPAA Rating: </a><a class="moviedataitalic">PG-13</a><a class="moviedataitalic2"> </a> </div> <div class="director"> <a class="moviedirector">DIRECTOR(S): </a><a class="moviedataname"> Asger Leth</a> </div> <div class="actor"> <a class="moviecast">CAST: </a><a class="moviedataname">Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Jamie Bell</a> </div> </div> <div id="leftpane"> <img src="../../posters/2012/manonaledge01-27-12.jpg" alt="MAN ON A LEDGE" class="posterimage" /> </div> </div> <div class="what"> <div class="reviewers"> <div class="reviewer1"> <div class="review_link"> <a href="#A"> <img alt="Laurie" src="../../graphics/TVRIconSm.png" class="review_graphic" /></a> <a class="grade1">D+</a> </div> </div> <div class="reviewer2"> <div class="review_link"> <a href="#B"> <img alt="Renee'" src="../../graphics/RRRIconSm.png" class="review_graphic" /></a> <!--<a class="grade1">2.5</a><br /> <a id="A1">Out of Five Reels</a>--> </div> </div> <div class="reviewer3"> <div class="review_link"> <a href="#C"> <img alt="Liz" src="../../graphics/LizSmIcon.png" class="review_graphic" /></a> <a class="grade2">B-</a> </div> </div> <div class="reviewer4"> <div class="review_link"> <a href="#D"> <img alt="Mark" src="../../graphics/directorchairsm.png" class="review_graphic" /></a> <a class="grade1">2</a><br /> <a id="A3">Out of Four Stars</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="click"> Click on Icon to read individual reviews </div> </div> <div class="reviewpane"> <a name="A" /> <p class="h1"> LAURIE COKER'S REVIEW<br /> RATING: D+</p> <p> I don t mind mindless movies, ones that ask us to suspend belief and to accept the unacceptable or ridiculous, but if the same movie lacks creative dialogue, plays out predictably or has me cringing at the level of  on how stupid moments, then I draw a line. Except for a decent cast,  Man on a Ledge, staring Sam Worthington, Jamie Bell and Elizabeth Banks, fails to deliver an interesting or remotely plausible tale. Director Asger Leth and screenwriter Pablo F. Fenjves s story does little capture and keep attention and had it not been for Bell and his co-star Genesis Rodriguez, the movie would be a total wash.<br /><br /> Worthington s former NYC police officer Nick Cassidy faces 25 years in prison (where he is when the film opens), for a crime (stealing huge a diamond) he did not commit, but no one believes him. He manages, by getting permission to attend his father s funeral, to escape with the help of family and friends, and ends up on a ledge, where he acts as a distraction while his baby brother, Joey, (Bell) and his brother s girl friend, Angie, (Rodriguez) work against time and the odds to prove his innocence. As part of the ruse, his threat to leap to his death, he demands to see police negotiator, Lydia Mercer (Banks), who s hitting the bottle because her efforts to talk her last charge off of a bridge failed. She replaces, the current negotiator, Jack Dougherty (a weak and limited role for Edward Burns), and soon discovers that there is much more to Cassidy, who she first believes is a suicidal businessman, than she originally assumed.<br /><br /> To be fair, Worthington (in spite of a hit and miss American accent) and Banks play well off of each other, but it is Bell and Rodriguez, who attempt to actually steal the diamond, for which Nick was framed, from sinister, heartless business mogul, David Englander (Ed Harris), who makes for the more interesting aspect of the story. Rodriguez is particularly good, providing spunk, excitement, comic relief and for the guys, eye-candy. She and Bell have wonderful chemistry and the scenes with them, although totally absurd, kept me from calling the film a total waste.<br /><br /> Harris disappointed me in this, and frankly, I worry about his health  he looks ill, drawn and pale. He never quite hit the intensity of deviousness needed for a character like Englander and I know he could have. As I hinted above, Burns is all but wasted. He backs up Banks character, but I really don t like seeing him in such a secondary role. I suppose the man has to work. Which brings me to Kyra Sedgwick, who plays a Hispanic (yes, you read right), sensationalist news reporter. She shut down her excellent show,  The Closer recently for other pursuits and I hope this is not what we are to expect. The necessary accent for her character, Suzi Morales, only came out when she pronounced her character s last name  silly - and her extremely limited character is wholly superfluous. I can only hope she makes better choices in her post-  The Closer, career.<br /><br /> One might assume from the title, that  Man on a Ledge is an edge of your seat thriller, but it falls terribly short  sliding right off that edge into stupidity - which in this scenario proves almost as deadly as a suicide leap from a tall building. Jumping (pun intended) from one silly scene to another,  Man on a Ledge fails to even remotely hit its proverbial mark (and in this case a rescue giant airbag). Because Asger thought to cast Bell and Rodriguez (okay the rest of the cast is high quality too) I did not feel bored, but I did feel cheated.<br /><br /> I am guessing,  Man on a Ledge, rated PG-13, will draw audiences for a while, until word gets out, and then might gain a bit more momentum when it hits DVD, but with films like  Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol still in theatres, it hardly stands a chance. The cast certainly does the best each can with the cheesy and dicey dialogue offered by Fenjves, but there I have little more good to say. Bottom line  it s a muddled story, with a mediocre premise made a bit better by its cast. I am placing a D+ in my grade book for this one  the plus for the cast, the D for the disaster it turned out to be.<br /><br /> </p> <br /> <p class="byline">Laurie Coker, True View Reviews</p> <a href="#top" class="backtotop">(Top)</a> </div> <!--<div class="reviewpane"> <a name="B" /> <p class="h1"> RENEE' COLLINS' REVIEW<br /> RATING: 2.5 (Out of 5 Reels)</p> <p> <br /><br /> </p> <br /> <p class="byline"> Renee' Collins, Renee's Reel Reviews</p> <a href="#top" class="backtotop">(Top)</a> </div>--> <div class="reviewpane"> <a name="C" /> <p class="h1"> ELIZABETH LOPEZ' REVIEW<br /> RATING: B-</p> <p>  MAN ON A LEDGE , the crime thriller due out January 27th can keep the viewer on their toes, right up on the Manhattan hotel ledge with former NYPD officer, Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington), who is accused of a robbing a tycoon, David Englander (Ed Harris) with strong ties to city officials. Cassidy now is out to clear his name. He refuses to negotiate with NYPD official Jack Dougherty (Edward Burns) and insists on only talking to a police psychologist, Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks).<br /><br /> Clearing Nick s name is a family affair and little brother Joey Cassidy (Jamie Bell) and his beautiful and skilled girlfriend, Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) are in on the plan. As the city gathers and watches the potential jumper in dismay and excitement in downtown Manhattan, most everyone is clueless that a big diamond heist is in motion...right across the street.<br /><br /> Cinematographer Paul Cameron does an excellent job with the aerial scenes as Cassidy hangs out on the ledge for most of the film, especially when a helicopter swoops close to the hotel, almost blowing people away. Asger Leth directed the script by Venezuela born screenwriter, Pablo F. Fenjves who has had a close encounter with a crime story. According to IMDb Trivia, the writer/producer lived next door to the house Brentwood where Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered.<br /><br /> Overall, I do recommend  MAN ON A LEDGE for film fans of crime thrillers that are not hard to follow and it has a good, diverse cast; with some of whom we are familiar and others with less of a filmography. Some of the actors I do not recall viewing in recent feature films, including Ed Harris, who looks quite aged in this film. Elizabeth Banks does a good job in the dramatic role and I found Kyra Sedgwick s performance as the television reporter, Suzie Morales, absolutely hilarious as she conducts press coverage downtown. She definitely does a good job of mocking the media.<br /><br /> Actress Genesis Rodriguez, Miami, Florida - born daughter of singing star José Luis Rodríguez known as 'El Puma,' stars in her first feature film after acting in  Entourage and other television series. She demonstrated skill while working with Jamie Bell during the heist and has worked on three other productions since  MAN ON A LEDGE. <br /><br /> It makes a good matinee movie and a recommended one for the weekend. Enjoy the eye candy!<br /><br /> </p> <br /> <p class="byline"> Elizabeth Lopez, Cine y Mas</p> <a href="#top" class="backtotop">(Top)</a> </div> <div class="reviewpane"> <a name="D" /> <p class="h1"> MARK SALDANA'S REVIEW<br /> RATING: 2 (Out of 4 Stars)</p> <p> Just prior to the hearty chuckle inducing antics of THE DEVIL INSIDE, I viewed another film, which often had me laughing at some of the silliness and absurdity that takes place. While not quite as laughable as the above effort at horror, MAN ON A LEDGE, an attempted suspense/thriller, can boast a fine cast; however, the sometimes ludicrous script doesn t really utilize the talent well. Although, moderately entertained during the film, I felt grateful that I had not paid to see it. Had I paid a full priced ticket for this movie, I probably would have left the theater irritated and frustrated. Thankfully, critiquing gets me free admission to films.<br /><br /> Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) escapes from prison, rents a room in a Manhattan hotel, orders room service, and then steps out on the ledge outside his window where he threatens to commit suicide. After the police arrive to talk him out of this, Cassidy requests the help of troubled police psychologist Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks). Cassidy proclaims his innocence for the crime he was charged and keeps the police on their toes, and a growing audience on the street below captivated. However, this act of desperation is part of a carefully designed plan to pull off a jewel heist nearby. His brother Joey (Jamie Bell) and Joey s girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) busily break into the building of a powerful and corrupt David Englander (Ed Harris), a man who holds the key to Cassidy s innocence. As Nick keeps the police occupied, and Joey and Angie struggle to complete their task, Englander s paid off police officers try to take out Nick before he can reveal the truth.<br /><br /> Now granted, I really do like the story premise. Unfortunately, though, the script by Pablo F. Fenjves contains laughable dialogue and outlandish scenarios and this really takes away from the thrills and suspense this film potentially had. Fenjves, who previously wrote screenplays for TV movies, did not really step up his game for this theatrical debut. His movie feels like a TV movie of the week, one with a larger budget. Director Asger Leth in his feature film debut shows promise as a filmmaker, but perhaps should be more selective in choosing his scripts. He, like his cast, is held back by the prosaic writing.<br /><br /> Sam Worthington, Jamie Bell, and Ed Harris all offer terrific performances in their roles. Still, several of my colleagues and I questioned the casting choices for some of the supporting roles. The main examples, the roles played by Edward Burns and Kyra Sedgwick could have been portrayed by any descent character actors. As talented as they are, they were cast simply for their names and are otherwise underused. I laughed at Sedgwick s role as Suzie Morales, who pronounces her name with a hilariously forced Spanish accent. I also questioned the casting of Elizabeth Banks, who I feel, looks out of place as the hardened police psychologist. I like Banks. I really do. I think she has an adorably cute and sweet quality to her, but should not have been cast as this character. I simply didn t buy her in this role.<br /><br /> There was much I didn t buy in this film. It really challenges the suspension of disbelief with some incredulous moments and laughable clichés. For the ticket purchasing movie attendee, I do not recommend this film. I suggest waiting for a cheap rental or even for a television broadcast. Screenwriter Pablo F. Fenjves wrote a TV movie caliber script and thus, should be viewed that way.<br /><br /> </p> <br /> <p class="byline"> Mark Saldana, The Movie Doc</p> <a href="#top" class="backtotop">(Top)</a> </div> <div class="reviewpane"> <div class="footer"> <!-- The certification section displays the W3C certification for the page. --> <div class="cert"> <a href="http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=referer"> <img src="../../graphics/valid-xhtml10.gif" alt="Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional" class="w3c" /></a> <br /> <a href="http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/images/vcss-blue"> <img src="../../graphics/vcss-blue.gif" alt="Valid CSS!" class="w3c" /></a> </div> <!-- The copyright sections include the copyright disclimers at the bottom of the page --> <div class="copyright"> <img alt="copyright1" src="../../graphics/copyright1.png" /> </div> <div class="copyright2"> <img alt="copyright2" src="../../graphics/copyright2.png" /> </div> <div class="copyright3"> <img alt="copyright3" src="../../graphics/copyright3.png" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </body> </html>