Review of Last Chance Harvey (2008) by Joanna B — 28 Feb 2016

It must be said that no-one can do soppy romantic comedy like the Brit's. They have this certain knack for injecting sarcasm into humour and almost poking fun at themselves while being serious. It is utterly confusing, but in essence quite entertaining. Well usually...

Last Chance Harvey has tremendous potential with strong lead actors, great character development and intelligently targeting a new audience for the genre (the over 40's crowd). Distressingly though, it falls completely flat and wonders (literally) into the realm of mundane sentimentality.

The film has a certain snore-fest, when-will-it-be-over feel to it. As a reviewer it can often get boring going to the movies alone, so I took my most chick-flick friendly mate with me and even he was begging for it to end. (Yes, I said he).

Harvey Shine (Dustin Hoffman) is an out-of-touch dinosaur nearing the end of his career composing jingles for television commercials. Unhappy with his performance, Harvey's superiors make it quite clear that if he doesn't land the big new account he will be cordially retired.

Luckily for Harvey he receives this ultimatum on a Friday afternoon; the same day he is leaving for his daughter's wedding in London, and must fly from New York there and back by Monday for the meeting. No pressure.

Kate Walker (Emma Thompson) is a mildly discontented airline survey manager leading a rather unremarkable life, busying her time reading trashy novels and answering incessant phone calls from her overbearingly meddlesome mother. Kate is as unlucky in love as she is in life, enduring a roundabout of bad blind dates.

When Harvey arrives in London; tired and ill tempered, he is faced with even more challenges. After checking into the bridal party hotel he is informed he will be the only one there as his delightfully bitter ex-wife (Jane Lynch) has rented a house for all except him. The humiliation continues when he attends the rehearsal dinner with the electronic anti-theft tag still attached to his suit.

All of this pails in comparison when bride-to-be daughter Maggie (Eileen Atkins) delivers the devastating news that she would like her step-father Brian (James Brolin) to give her away. After attending the ceremony Harvey makes a beeline for the airport in hopes of getting back to NY for his meeting.

Needless to say Harvey didn't make his flight.

Whilst drowning his sorrows in the airport bar, Harvey engages Kate in an argumentative competition where they compare notes on how much life can sting, he enthusiastically wins. Finding a connection in Kate's witty English banter, and having nowhere to really go, Harvey decides to follow Kate onto the tube and be her shadow for the remainder of the day.

Harvey and Kate begin to soften their crusted interior and allow each other in; sharing their deep seeded issues they manage to find solace in their new friendship. In so, Kate encourages Harvey to return to the reception and becomes so preoccupied she begins to ignore the relentless ranting of her mother. Have they found their soul mate?

Although the theory of two people over the age of forty falling in love under unlikely circumstances is a nice change from the Hugh Grant young and chirpy fluff pieces of the style, sadly this movie is just as ordinary and monotonous as it sounds.

The film only occasionally hits the intended level of reflective insight but never captures the viewer's attention. Committing grievous offense with a ridiculous trying-on-clothes montage and the misunderstanding leading to break up and then make up clichés is entirely unforgivable. Harvey's connection to his daughter and their attempt at a heart-warming reuniting scene completely lacks emotion and integrity.

Some scenes and concepts are nicely executed, Thompson is always a notable stand out and the mother's curiosity with the odd Polish neighbours BBQ habits is charming. That is about it.

The verdict: There are a lot of words that could be used to describe this movie, Dull, boring, tedious, uninteresting etc. But as my movie companion so eloquently said to me when it was over, how do you spell tthhweptt (the lovely noise your mouth makes when you blow a raspberry)?

Published: The Queanbeyan Age.

Date of Publication: 06/03/2009.