Man On A Ledge
Sam Worthington
Elizabeth Banks
Anthony Mackie
Jamie Bell
Ed Harris
Génesis Rodríguez

Directed by: Asger Leth

102 minutes

The film starts with a man checking into a posh hotel, ordering a nice meal, writing a note and then going out onto a ledge. Within minutes screams start and the man gets the attention he's looking for. By the time news arrives with Kyra Sedgwick...playing a Latina reporter (???), the man shouts to the crowd that he's innocent.

Former cop Nick Cassidy (Worthington) is serving time in prison for the theft of a $40 million dollar
diamond from businessman David Englander (Harris). In truth, Nick was a whistle-blower who was framed by other cops whom were under Englander's employ. When Nick's former partner Mike Ackerman (Mackie) tells him his father had passed, Mike arranges a heavily secured day pass so he can attend the funeral. There we meet his brother Joey (Bell) and his girlfriend Angie (Rodriguez). Joey berates Nick and a fight breaks out. Nick get's the drop on a cop (mad rhyming skillz son), snatching the gun and escapes. Back to the hotel. Nick demands that suicide negotiator (I don't know of any other way to describe he job) Lydia Mercer (Banks) be brought in to talk. Mercer is well known for her failed attempt at talking down a suicidal cop and isn't respected by the force.

The film has a few twists that were unexpected along with a few that were predictable. The cast did a good job, but there is one thing about Sam Worthington. I like Sam Worthington, but I have a problem getting past the fact that it's Sam Worthington onscreen. Some actors can melt into their roles and become that character. Now Sam can do action. Sam can do boiling anger. But I've yet to see him fully be whatever character he's playing. Even in Avatar. I haven't seen him in
"The Debt", but I think he's got the skill buried in there. Hopefully he'll get that role where we can say "damn he acted his ass off". Jaime Bell does a solid turn, Génesis Rodríguez is hilarious, and Anthony Mackie continues to prove his skills.

The ending for me though was a bit too neat of a bow and happy. And there was a question that was left unanswered. if your gonna do the bow, don't leave anything frayed.