MAN ON A LEDGE

The premise had potential. Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) stands on the ledge of a skyscraper. Through conversations with negotiator Lydia Spencer (Elizabeth Banks) we learn more about the seemingly desperate Nick. Complexity follows. Yet the promise of the movie’s concept bleeds away.

For this type of movie to work the script should sizzle. It barely gets lukewarm. Where fertile dialogue and simpler design would produce a taut thriller; we find instead a confusing mélange: one-part police drama, one-part heist, one-part innocent fugitive. Cassidy and Spencer’s interaction is stale (the script’s fault).  Others rattle off masculine one-liners of uncaring police procedure or plastic phrases of fat-cat dastardliness (Ed Harris as David Englander).

The music score adds little; nor do the often poorly-cut scenes. The movie picks up only when the bullets fly and the characters leap. Cheap thrills; the movie’s potential still a casualty on the side-walk. (DD) *1/2