"Man on a Ledge" will make you jump

"Man on a Ledge" has a title that pretty much sums up the main theme of the movie. Escaped convict Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) resurfaces under a new name and persona at an expensive Manhattan hotel. He suddenly steps out the window onto the ledge and seems intent on jumping off but a series of unexpected decisions as well as an unusually calm demeanor lead disgraced police psychologist Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) to believe that Cassidy is a part of something bigger.

Turns out, Cassidy is a former NYPD cop, who was convicted for 25 years for stealing a diamond worth $40,000 off brutal businessman David Englander (Ed Harris). According to Cassidy, Englander is lying and he never lost the diamond in the first place. With the help of his younger brother Joey (Jamie Bell) and Joey's girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez), he plans to prove his innocence. But with the police ready to re-arrest him and the entire New York City watching him, will Cassidy find redemption?

The movie is categorized as a thriller and it certainly lives up to those expectations. For starters, the movie revolves around a man who is spending 95 percent of the movie standing on the ledge 21 stories high. There are instances where it seems like he will fall off the ledge, such as when a news helicopter flies over him and generates enough turbulence to potentially knock him off, and once when he accidentally slips. Throughout the whole movie, moments of intense suspense are brought up and although they are all eventually resolved, the viewer can't help but be on the edge of their seat for most of the movie.

The plot line is pretty cliché and mostly predictable. Although the viewer is going to be able to predict what is going to happen, the sheer tension and suspense allow the movie to stay enjoyable. However, parts of the movie are very implausible. For example, it is foolish to believe that an entire crowd of people are going to stand and watch a man stand on a ledge for five hours in New York City. It is also equally foolish to believe that a news reporter would spend the entire day focused on one man on one ledge, when there are probably hundreds of other possible stories to cover. Despite the movie's glaring logical errors, it is still enjoyable to watch.

Sam Worthington was perfectly cast and fit his role of desperate man quite convincingly. However, his hairdo in the film was certainly not inviting. Elizabeth Banks has a likeable screen presence and she brings a bit of toughness to her part, although her dramatic back story is somewhat unnecessary.

"Man on a Ledge" is a popcorn thriller. It doesn't require much thought but it suitably engages the viewer enough to agree that it was worth the trip to the theater.

102 min. "Man on a Ledge" is rated PG-13 for violence and brief strong language. Now playing in theaters everywhere.