Man on a Ledge is indeed about a person who is on a ledge, for a majority of the film’s 102-minute duration. If the previous sentence isn’t enough of a warning – at least in terms of the amount of silliness that predictably follows – then I can’t quite help you.

We begin and end with Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington), an ex-cop who was sentenced to prison after allegedly stealing a million-dollar diamond from a wealthy, though dubious business man (aren’t they all?) named David Englander (Ed Harris). Cassidy, after his father supposedly dies, escapes from law enforcement at the funeral. The film then skips time to present day where Nick, along with his brother Joey (Jamie Bell) and soon to be wife Angie (Genesis Rodriquez), are carrying out a robbery to prove his innocence.

You’re probably wondering why on Earth Cassidy has to be on that ledge? Well, he’s a decoy. A mere distraction that apparently gets the entire New York City Police Department dedicated to saving his life as if no other cases, crimes, or criminal activity mattered on that day.

For the film to have some sort of narrative, Nick tells our negotiator on the case, Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks playing a character whose sole purpose is to make sure he doesn’t jump) that he wants to commit suicide. There is nothing else to live for, says Nick and his time here is “done”.

While Nick puts on this charade for Lydia and apparently every other citizen in Manhattan, Joey and Angie are inside Englander’s high rise building, setting in motion a robbery to find the diamond, which was never really stolen.

There’s not much explanation in Man on a Ledge – particularly in the films opening 45 minutes – where we literally do just watch Nick on this ledge claiming that he’s about to end his life – without quite knowing what’s fueling this façade. Subplots and hidden agendas are later discovered, but by that point most of our interest is long lost.

It’s no surprise that the film contains corrupt cops, a friend who isn’t as trustworthy as initially thought, and the predictable romantic flings between Nick and Lydia: Man on a Ledge is anything but ingenious or original.

By and large, Asger Leth’s feature debut is a contemporary version of The Fugitive. Except for the fact that it’s not remotely as good of course. Both contain men who escape from law enforcement, and then subsequently go on a passionate mission to prove their rather obvious innocence.

However, unlike Andrew Davis’ 90s masterpiece, Man on a Ledge never builds up any genuine emotions to make us care for the characters. Its distasteful blend of realism and pseudo-realism doesn’t capture our imagination, but makes one question the story’s logistics.

Which overall is where the film lives and dies. The premise is overtly silly, and the screenwriters (and actors) don’t seem to be aware of that. Everything is taken far too seriously, which would be acceptable if any tension or emotional attachment could be formed for the characters.

When the film does eventually come around to its grandstanding conclusion, it’s impossible not to laugh at the completely bizarre resolution of the story. Take it for what you will, I suppose. Man on a Ledge is your typical January release by studios. It’s middling, astoundingly idiotic, and bound to be completely forgotten in two weeks time.

Which, incidentally feels like an accurate depiction of how much time they worked on this film.

C

2 out 4 stars

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