Review of Man on a Ledge (2012) by Alec S — 06 Aug 2013

High concept, low payoff.

**.

Bleh, where to begin? Let us start with the good. Love (most of) the cast! And I'm all for high concept thrillers. But the execution for "MAN ON A LEDGE" was lacking. Everything about the script was ordinary. Very few characters felt real or complex in any way. Most of the plot was 'been there, done that.' It was like watch a CBS crime-of-the-week procedural drama. It kept your attention long enough to move onto the next scene. But after it's over, you've forgotten all about it and really don't care.

Cops are stupid. That's the first takeaway you'll get when analyzing any plot holes. They threaten to shoot a man who threatens to kill himself, they leave key crime scenes unattended, and they let civilians walk all over them. I mean, it's kind of insulting. And for some film where most characters are tied to the system somehow, they sure don't result to practicing criminal justice that much. Real-world implications should never be sacrificed for suspension of disbelief.

Oh, and that Sam Worthington accent! I want to like the guy. Really. And I'm fine with his acting style except for his goddamn Aussie tongue. His slip-ups make for a great drinking game, though. And it's inexcusable when his on-screen brother (Jamie Bell) pulls off a fine American tone. There are so many other things wrong with it too like random sexed up scenes and too-convenient plot devices. But it is what it is. It's mostly inoffensive or not worth caring about, really. Because I've already half forgotten about it.