Living on the Ledge
Film: Man on a Ledge, Cast: Sam Worthington, Ed Harris, Elizabeth Banks, Directed by: Asger Leth, Duration: 109 mins, Rating: * * *

A man standing on the 21st floor, of the Roosevelt hotel in New York threatens to jump off. Will he, won’t he? That’s the question. Man on a Ledge directed by Asger Leth has an interesting premise and is fairly entertaining, but not much beyond that. It is the kind of film though that the French noir masters like Jules Dassin, Jean Pierre Melville or even John Huston would have bowled you over with. This one is a bit too ‘Hollywoodish,’ if you know what I mean, but still entertains you.
Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) checks into the Roosevelt hotel. Once he is in, he ensures that he doesn’t leave a single fingerprint in the room. In flashback we are told that he is an ex-cop convicted of stealing a diamond. Since he is the hero, we know that the chances of him being guilty are only as much as there being zero loss in the 2G scam.
He climbs on the ledge and once he is there, he tries to make a scene. The police arrive but he specifically asks to talk to a police psychologist, Lydia (Elizabeth Banks).
Nick threatens to jump, but he is taking his time. The reason makes up for the thrilling part of the film (and would act as a spoiler if revealed), which has its moments and flaws as well. His brother Joey and his girlfriend Angie are on the job as well and their repartees are like half baked cookies. Ed Harris plays the bad guy who is responsible for Nick being framed.
Not a great deal you can write about the film except that it could have really been a taut thriller. If you are willing to settle for something less than that, try this one.