Review of A Long Way Down (2014) by Film C — 18 Oct 2014

"It's far from terrible but "A Long Way Down" gets dragged down by it's sentimental third act".

Movie Review: A Long Way Down.

Date Viewed: July 5 2014.

Directed By Pascal Chaumeil.

Screenplay By Jack Thorne, Based on the novel by Nick Hornby.

Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Imogen Poots, Aaron Paul, Rosamund Pike,.

Tuppence Middleton, Joe Cole, Josef Altin and Sam Neill.

"A Long Way Down" wants to toggle your heart but it is a dark comedy about four strangers trying to commit suicide. The actors are really good but thanks to that disastrous third act, "A Long Way Down" goes off the rails. It is based on a novel by Nick Hornby who also penned "High Fidelity" and "About a Boy". I don't think "A Long Way Down" is terrible, it's just that it has a poorly written third act.

"A Long Way Down" is about four strangers who meet each other on the rooftop of a London building on New Year's Eve. Somehow, they don't commit suicide and they form a group together. Then they vow to wait on Valentine's Day before taking their own lives. The first stranger is Martin Sharp (Pierce Brosnan), a popular television reporter who got fired after having a relationship with a underaged girl. Maureen (Toni Collette) is a middle-aged mother who has a disabled son. Even though she adores him, she thinks she has very little life left in herself.

Jess (Imogen Poots) is the troubled teenager of a famous politician (Sam Neill) and J.J. (Aaron Paul) is an American who works as a pizza delivery man. J.J. once played in a band and he has terminal cancer. With a great story like this, you would think "A Long Way Down" would be made into a great movie but sadly no. "A Long Way Down" gets dragged down by uncomfortable situations and terrible dark humor. Soon, Martin, Maureen, Jess and J.J. go on Martin's old TV chat show and they claim that their suicide attempt was interrupted by a vision. When the host Penny (Rosamund Pike) gets aggressive on Jess, she leaves the set. They get humiliated and even more depressed. In order to get away from all the media attention surrounding them, The four go to a vacation resort and they have a great time.

Director Pascal Chaumeil doesn't seem to know what jokes he's trying stick and a serious subject like this deserves better treatment than this. "A Long Way Down" is one long mushy affair.