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AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

What We’re Watching

Photo used under the Creative Commons License.

Hatchet reporter Arich Morales shares his latest movie experience.

Man on a Ledge” (2012)

I went into this film expecting two things. First, that the premise would be relatively obvious and second, that the film would be entertaining but not a real blockbuster.

Directed by Asger Leth, “Man on a Ledge” follows the story of fugitive ex-cop Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington), who spends most of the film on the ledge of a Manhattan hotel. As police and pedestrians crowd around the building in anticipation of a possible suicide, the police call Detective Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) to mediate the situation. Having been personally requested by Nick, Mercer quickly learns that Nick may have ulterior motives.

Mercer discovers that Nick is trying to prove his innocence for a crime he did not commit. Framed with the theft of a rare diamond, Nick steps out onto the ledge to distract the police while his brother, Joey (Jamie Bell), sets out with his girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) to prove Nick’s innocence.

Though the plot offers some interesting twists, the movie itself fails to leave a memorable impression.

A number of scenes either don’t add much to the film or are simply unrealistic. The film suffers from some cliched inconsistencies, among them a character sprinting on a supposedly sprained ankle.

As for the scenes with Joey and Angie, they are entertaining without much other value. The two characters’ roles as comic relief seem out of place and unnecessary.

Possibly one of the strangest aspects of the film is the reaction of the New Yorkers gathered around Nick’s apparent suicide attempt. Many of these extras are depicted as cheering for Nick and encouraging him to jump. I still find it an odd decision on the director’s part.

But I must award credit where credit is due. Banks gives one of the strongest performances in the film. She succeeds in bringing her role to life and outshines many of the other characters, who seem to fade into the background.

Genre: Crime, Thriller
Director: Asger Leth
Cast: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell
Release Date: Jan 27, 2012

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