Movie Review - "Man on a Ledge" (2012) **

     There are times when we are in a mood to watch a movie that we don't have to think about much. As much as I love to catch the small movies that make you think, I'm not opposed to throwing on a Weekend at Bernie's or Police Academy when I want to have something on that I don't have to think about. Then there are the movies that we "shouldn't" think about, because the more we think about them we realize how absurd they are. Looking for a perfect example of that? Check out Man on a Ledge.

      Man on a Ledge stars Sam Worthington as Nick Cassidy, a former cop who is now a wanted fugitive on the run. After escaping police, he checks into a local high-rise hotel, orders a meal from room service, is careful not to leave fingerprints anywhere...and then climbs out onto the ledge of the building. An onlooker notices him and it isn't long before cops, the media and hundreds of New Yorkers are watching him from the ground below. Jack Dougherty (Edward Burns) is the cop assigned to talk to Nick, but Nick has other ideas. He requests a different cop, specifically Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks), who has an interesting past that we are not subject to at first. As Mercer tries to talk Cassidy in from the ledge, something else interesting is going on nearby. A jewel heist is taking place that may or may not be related to what is happening on the ledge. As Mercer, and the police force, start to learn more about Cassidy it becomes increasingly apparent that not only is everything not as it seems, but we start to question who is good and who may have a darker side.

      This isn't a terrible movie by any means. It is fast-paced and you certainly are never bored with it. While none of the acting is top notch, Banks turns in a decent performance as the negotiator and the wonderful Ed Harris has a supporting role that allows him to spew forth nastiness that we aren't accustomed to seeing from him. It's obvious he is having fun playing this type of role, one he isn't given often. The problem is the story and there are several times where the plot will have you rolling your eyes. At the start of the review, I stated there are movies we shouldn't think about too much. What I mean is that if you watch this movie and forget about it right away, it's an okay way to spend 100 minutes. But the more you think about it, the more you will realize how certain things don't make any sense and you will question it way too much. This is a movie you should just let play out and then go on to the next thing. If you do, you may find some enjoyment here.