MAN ON A LEDGE Review

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for cheap action thrillers like this. "Man On A Ledge" reminds me of one of those 90's action flicks we see constantly re-played on late night TV now, those ones that seem to never get old and you can't help but stop and watch when you come across them. There is nothing spectacular about the film and the plot in general is so highly unlikely we forget about halfway through the movie that there is even such a thing as logic. The film is nothing short of entertaining despite this fact and if you are a movie-goer willing to let details slide and simply allow the experience to be one of escapism then "Man On A Ledge" is a solid piece of fun you will no doubt enjoy. If you are a stickler for realism though, you might feel otherwise and have your patients tested within the first few scenes. I am a movie-goer of the former category and so with a stout cast that includes Sam "Avatar" Worthington in the lead and stronger supporting players like Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie, and Ed Harris bringing this tale to a head is almost as easy to watch as it is for Jamie Bell and his girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) to steal back the diamond that put Worthington's Nick Cassidy in the slammer.

Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) attempts to negotiate Nick
Cassidy (Sam Worthington) off of the ledge.

Though the title is pretty self explanatory the writers have enough wit about them to pile on enough New York cop procedural cliches to fill out the remainder of the running time. Inherently, this is really a part of the problem. Not only does "Man On A Ledge" have a good idea, a nice premise with a promising starting point, but is there enough here to flesh out an entire feature? Ehh, probably not, but they stretch it the best they can. Early on after first being introduced to Nick Cassidy we have a flashback that sets up the story; Cassidy was a cop accused of stealing a diamond from business tycoon David Englander (Harris). For this accusation he has been sent to jail with no hopes of getting out anytime soon. In the flashback we get an action-packed escape scene as well as establishing Nick's support team in his brother Joey (Bell) and girlfriend Angie. The pacing is quite smooth and allows for a real ease in the audience member to slip into this convoluted story that is as entertaining as it is pointless. The film tries to stay both two steps ahead of us while allowing us to know a little more than the cops do. It is a difficult line to walk but luckily we have Elizabeth Banks in the role of Lydia Mercer, a negotiator now famous for not being able to prevent a rookie cop's suicide the previous month. Banks deserves some serious credit for holding this all together while allowing the audience member a perspective that makes this more credible than it ever should have been.

David Englander (Ed Harris) has a lot to lose if the man on
the ledge's stunt goes off as planned. 

While the film moves along at a fine pace and there are more than enough moments to keep us on the edge, the film feels slightly understated as it doesn't exactly have to try that hard. While we watch Worthington stand on the ledge, drawing the attention to himself while his brother and Angie break into the Englander building to find the diamond Nick was accused of stealing we know things won't be so easy, we can feel the twists coming yet despite this and even sillier acting (just wait until you see Kyra Sedgwick as a news reporter) the movie consistently proves to be fun and engaging. I have still not bought into the whole idea of Sam Worthington as a movie star, but I was surprised by his charisma here where he really doesn't have much to work with. The script literally has the guy trapped in this one spot for the majority of the film, his range is restricted and his tools limited, the actor has to depend on his conviction to relate his commitment to being in his current position. Worthington and Banks form a nice back-and-forth as two of the only honest cops left in the city while Ed Burns stands around in the background for no apparent reason. Worthington is more than willing when it comes to the action set pieces at the beginning and end of the film, but if "Man On A Ledge" exists for any reason at all it could be as a testament to the fact Worthington is capable of more than just running and fighting.

Joey (Jamie Bell) and Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) relax with a
drink after a long days work.

No, "Man On A Ledge" is nothing to write home about and it surely won't be recognized any further than getting those replays on late night TV in a few years but that is what this type of movie is made for and the makers realize that. There is an element to the movie that is almost tongue and cheek, we know not to take it all too seriously and those behind the scenes know how outlandish it would be for an audience to accept this without having any issues with the implausibilities. What makes us willing to forgive these things is that simple fact that we are indeed entertained by what is going on on screen. There are enough credible actors giving good performances and strong and inventive direction by first time feature director Asger Leth. There is a better, more serious movie to be made out of this subject matter that could likely take this original and intriguing concept in a more inventive direction. This had promise when taking in the trailer, but ends up being more stock characters and cop cliches than we can avoid and so we are left to wonder what might have been as we leave the theater. The one up side is we don't question this as we watch the film as this current form at least lives up to the expectations of entertainment. Don't expect this film to take thrillers to new heights, but if you're in the mood for a light, fun film with a few good thrills you could do much worse than "Man On A Ledge".

MAN ON A LEDGE Review

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for cheap action thrillers like this. "Man On A Ledge" reminds me of one of those 90's action flicks we see constantly re-played on late night TV now, those ones that seem to never get old and you can't help but stop and watch when you come across them. There is nothing spectacular about the film and the plot in general is so highly unlikely we forget about halfway through the movie that there is even such a thing as logic. The film is nothing short of entertaining despite this fact and if you are a movie-goer willing to let details slide and simply allow the experience to be one of escapism then "Man On A Ledge" is a solid piece of fun you will no doubt enjoy. If you are a stickler for realism though, you might feel otherwise and have your patients tested within the first few scenes. I am a movie-goer of the former category and so with a stout cast that includes Sam "Avatar" Worthington in the lead and stronger supporting players like Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie, and Ed Harris bringing this tale to a head is almost as easy to watch as it is for Jamie Bell and his girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) to steal back the diamond that put Worthington's Nick Cassidy in the slammer.

THE GREY Review

There is an air of mystery around Joe Carnahan's "The Grey" as I expected a non-stop action thriller but what I received was a brooding, almost character study of a man who feels he is already at the end of his road when faced with a horrible accident and forced to lead a pack of men to survive the Alaskan wilderness. I was not just surprised by the restraint shown by director Carnahan in both his directing and his script but with the tone his film carried overall. I loved his 2010 "re-imagination" of the cheesy TV show "The A-Team" despite its poor box office return. It was a fun and ridiculous film, but it was clear the guy had a knack for action pieces as well as gritty drama as he also directed the underrated 2002 film "Narc". Carnahan merges his skills here and creates a classic tale of survival with an engaging and heartbreaking group of men that occasionally dips into something more. There are hints of psychological musings throughout the film and it almost makes the film rise above a standard action flick, but even without it this is not your typical, primitive B-movie. The pacing is off and Liam Neeson is both an actor's actor and a man, who since "Taken" has been considered a serious action star. He always added weight to mainstream films like "Batman Begins" and "The Phantom Menace" but that leading turn made his name worthy of the title and he has proven continuously that he deserves it. This is maybe the best display of that as Neeson gives a performance that is both touching in the most human of ways while also displaying his characters intuitive knowledge of his surroundings. He is the alpha male and that is the character we come to learn about. This is not a story about survival in the ways we would normally assume, but is instead a story of survival of the human soul.

John Ottway (Liam Neeson) is assigned to protect oil
workers from the wild wolves that pose a threat.

Neeson plays Ottway, a man who we learn quickly is getting over a part of his life that is now missing. As Neeson makes his way through the small town where he and his colleagues are waiting to fly out we understand he is not in the mood to fraternize with his co-workers or even speak openly to the bartender after downing a few shots. He is readying himself for what he truly desires and the task it will take to get there. From his opening voice over we can sense the deeper tone, the heavier weight this story will hold and that the struggle he and his fellow oil-riggers will soon face is not just to serve the purpose of fulfilling an audience's cravings for action flicks but also a close portrait of a man on the brink. A man who has no fear of death, just a slight bit of remorse. A sense of possible failure that he will let down the only person in life that he truly cared about. We watch as Ottway goes through the motions. He is on the job as the man who has to understand the wolves and shoot them when they get too close to the oil workers. When their plane goes down it is all at once surreal and yet a very real threat that is completely graphic in what it means to our main character. The moment in which the crash happens goes by in an instant and what we are left to look over is a crash site that is a landscape completely pure that is interrupted only by the staggering bits of plane that lay on fire.

The survivors of a horrific plane wreck try to survive the
harsh conditions of the Alaskan wilderness.

Ottway rounds up his fellow survivors and immediately assumes the role of leader. There are only a handful of men left that really matter and shortly after Neeson delivers one of the most touching moments in the film to a dying man in the wreckage we begin to see what he has been left to work with. There is Falnnery (Joe Anderson), the big mouth who doesn't know when to shut up. We have Hendrick (Dallas Roberts) a loyal and spiritual man that believes in Ottway, as well as Frank Grillo as Diaz, the rebel, and Dermont Mulroney as Talget, the peacekeeper. Each could have been sketched out a little more and lend more of their life and beliefs to the struggle that our protagonist is dealing with, but nonetheless each character is much less stock than they could have been. Mulroney and Roberts are to be comended for their small but integral contributions to the film as characters who at least attempt to get to know Ottway for the man he is rather than simply existing to create conflict. Although it is nice to see Neeson's Ottway put Diaz in his place when the time comes this also presents the one real discretion I had with the film. While I appreciate the film strived to be more that the average action flick I found it dragging at certain points where it could have used a little bit of excitement or better pacing. There is nothing wrong with a survival saga but when it is pitched as an action epic it should contain a little more brawls than "The Grey" actually does. Moments of quick intensity such as when the guys cliff dive or run into the trees to escape the always lurking wolves are too far between. It is by its own luck that the character and actor holding down the lead role make the film a consistently engaging character study. It could have surely done with a little more action to live up to its label, but this is still a solid January release that goes for more rather than just settling for what is expected.

Ottway approaches Diaz (Frank Grillo) in how to scare the
ever-present wolves away.

That is the element that stands out as the credits begin to roll. This is not a story that we know is going to end with some helicopter coming to the rescue, in fact we almost know from the very beginning there is no hope for these guys, but we still like to hold out hope. When it comes down to that final scene though we realize the message, or more the idea, of the movie is not that it is whether you live to fight the fight but more about accepting that you've lost when the time comes and finding peace in that. Throughout the film we are given a short verse that Ottway recalls hanging on the wall of his childhood home. A verse his father wrote that goes, "Once more into the fray. Into the last good fight I'll ever know. Live and die on this day. Live and die on this day." It of course carries much meaning for our hero and in those closing minutes we understand fully how much weight it actually does carry. Only Neeson could deliver such lines wth as much meaning and heart and make the audience feel something. It is a great performance and it takes "The Grey" to a level that I didn't expect it to reach. Though Carnahan will not get to make his "A-Team" sequel with Neeson it is lucky for him that Neeson agreed to this and allowed both of their careers a film that lends each credibility and commercial success. If you enjoy all out action films this may tend to be a little lighter than you need, but for those looking for a story that is both compelling and effective you will have to wander no further than into "The Grey".

THE GREY Review

There is an air of mystery around Joe Carnahan's "The Grey" as I expected a non-stop action thriller but what I received was a brooding, almost character study of a man who feels he is already at the end of his road when faced with a horrible accident and forced to lead a pack of men to survive the Alaskan wilderness. I was not just surprised by the restraint shown by director Carnahan in both his directing and his script but with the tone his film carried overall. I loved his 2010 "re-imagination" of the cheesy TV show "The A-Team" despite its poor box office return. It was a fun and ridiculous film, but it was clear the guy had a knack for action pieces as well as gritty drama as he also directed the underrated 2002 film "Narc". Carnahan merges his skills here and creates a classic tale of survival with an engaging and heartbreaking group of men that occasionally dips into something more. There are hints of psychological musings throughout the film and it almost makes the film rise above a standard action flick, but even without it this is not your typical, primitive B-movie. The pacing is off and Liam Neeson is both an actor's actor and a man, who since "Taken" has been considered a serious action star. He always added weight to mainstream films like "Batman Begins" and "The Phantom Menace" but that leading turn made his name worthy of the title and he has proven continuously that he deserves it. This is maybe the best display of that as Neeson gives a performance that is both touching in the most human of ways while also displaying his characters intuitive knowledge of his surroundings. He is the alpha male and that is the character we come to learn about. This is not a story about survival in the ways we would normally assume, but is instead a story of survival of the human soul.

RAMPART Review

It was with great anticipation that I looked forward to Oren Moverman's second film as I was truly affected by his first, 2009's "The Messenger". In that film he pulled out of Woody Harrelson a great performance that helped cement the actor as a serious talent that had been missing from his reputation for some time. He does so again with "Rampart" in which Harrelson plays the character at the heart of the film and portrays a cop that has been dirty since day one with such arrogance and blind self-deception it is as if the actor went out and not only did his homework, but he in fact became the man he was playing on screen. As police officer David Brown, Harrelson portrays a man lost, living day to day hoping to find some kind of relief to what his life has actually become. It is an electric performance that keeps the well made film above your average cop drama. Moverman is a pro at taking genre films and turning them on their heads and as he did with the military drama in "The Messenger" and as his writing displayed in "I'm Not There" with the music biopic he is again able to take the worn dirty cop drama and pull out honest insights rather than following a standard structure. "Rampart" is certainly not for everyone as it displays a constant darkness in what is essentially a character study, but it is nothing short of engaging and Harrelson delivers an award-worthy performance.

Officer Dave Brown (Woody Harrelson) is notorious
for making a scene.

The story is rather straightforward and simple as it mainly focuses on the man that Harrelson is portraying. As it does we are introduced to the many facets of Dave Brown's life as he lives with two different women who have each given birth to a daughter that belongs to Brown. One is young enough to still look up to her daddy while the other is in her rebellious teen years, sports the dark eyeliner and colored hair while painting art that is provocative and by provocative I mean it probably has no deeper meaning than the fact writing the "C" word on top of images is slightly appealing to the adolescent mind. In short, the teen resents her dirty cop dad. She believes she sees him for who he really is and it doesn't help he swings between her and her sisters mothers looking for physical satisfaction. The mothers, as portrayed by Cynthia Nixon and Anne Heche have little to do other than kick Dave out of the house once he's slipped so far into his own delusions of self-grandeur that it is hardly bearable. The odd thing about "Rampart" is that while it begins by setting up Dave with a scandal when he violently beats up a civilian who collides with his Police cruiser on the LA streets; it doesn't exactly follow this storyline through. Sure, it gets his juices flowing, his paranoia heightened and leads to the actions that we see play out over the course of the film. What it doesn't do though is follow the investigation into his crime and through to the court room as most police dramas might. No, "Rampart" is a beast with a burden all it's own thus making it all the more engaging as we watch our main character fall apart.

Dave tries to connect with one of his daughters...

What might lead a man to a meltdown is a pool of endless possibilities when it comes to being a dirty cop. The funny thing about Dave "date rape" Brown, as he is so lovingly called by his peers, is the fact it doesn't seem to be his conscious catching up with him. As a matter of fact, the more people he comes in contact with, the more relationships he forms, it only feels like he is digging himself a deeper hole. The film presents us with a lead character we could hardly call a protagonist. It is literally like watching a film entirely from the antagonists perspective and while this makes it impossible to root for our hero to swoop in, save the day, and deliver a perfectly packaged conclusion. Brown surrounds himself both at work and in his personal time with people who clearly resent him. He becomes entangled with lawyer Linda Fentress (Robin Wright) who he overstays his welcome with, who is enticed by the man on the TV but is quickly regretful of her choices. His father's old friend on the force Hartshorn (Ned Beatty) still seems to have a good amount of influence with the LAPD and while their friendship seems the only bright spot of hope in Dave's life for the longest even that friendship is tested and comes to the most brutal of  boiling points in the film. This on top of the fact that at work he openly despises those who work in rampart as he has a constant war of words going on with Joan Confrey (Sigourney Weaver) and Bill Blago (Steve Buscemi) as well as private investigator Kyle Timkins (Ice Cube) who in trying to make deals with he ultimately pisses off more. The idea that Dave almost relishes in the corruption of his authority and morality in general makes all these self-imposed conflicts just as psychologically interesting as they are terrifying and thrilling to watch him carry out on screen.

...while using any resource he can to try and dig himself
out of trouble.

"Rampart" is such a study of character we almost come away from the film with nothing more than the trip into his mind rather than a traditional story of lessons learned from choices made. The fact Moverman can go the length of a feature without having to depend on a standard structure is a little jolting but even more impressive. As his what feels like effortless direction combined with the dedication of Harrelson's performance make for an electric movie that chronicles not just the actions but the way its main character thinks and inevitably makes decisions that have brought his career to this point and even still as the controversy of Brown's latest incident seeps through his department and into city hall, this hardened, reckless officer finds himself digging an even deeper hole. There is a point in the film where Dave comes in contact with a homeless vet as played by Harrelson's "Messenger" co-star Ben Foster. Foster is a talented young actor who favors the darker, supportive roles and in his few scenes here we see the ugliest of Brown's traits emerge. There is a plague that hits us when we see Brown take advantage of Foster's character that helps define everything we have seen him do before culminate into a point where we have had enough of the man. The bad intentions, the heartlessness, and ultimately selfishness of his actions will come back to haunt him. We all know it and he probably does too, but it doesn't mean he is going to change. Harrelson makes that clear in every inch of what he portrays on screen. As terrifying as a man like this might be in real life, on screen, it is exhilarating and "Rampart" hits most of the wrong notes in the best kind of way.