Police detective Hollis (Terrence Howard) is having a very bad day: he has just learned that he is sterile, and now he has to talk a young man named Gavin (Charlie Hunnam) out of jumping from the top of a very high building. Unfortunately for Hollis, Gavin is not a suicidal guy having second thoughts. In fact, Gavin doesn’t want to die. But if he doesn’t jump in an hour, someone else will die. The movie progresses as Gavin tells him his story:
First, he falls in lust with the wife (Shana, played by Liv Tyler) of his extremely religious neighbor Joe (Patrick Wilson). His desire to bed Shana only increases after Joe tries to inflict his opinions on salvation upon him, and his gay roommate Chris (Christopher Gorham). It doesn’t help matters that he now sees Shana every day as she has started to work for Gavin.
Unfortunately for both Shana and Gavin, the lust turns into a deeper connection, and then into an affair.
But of course when Joe finds out, he doesn’t take it lightly. He gives Gavin two options: He’ll either jump from the ledge at the designated hour, or Shana will die.
So what will it be? Who will die? Or can we really get a Hollywood-style happy ending…?
Review: You Should See It!
The Ledge is one of the movies where you get everything the trailer promises. If you liked the trailer, there is a big chance you’ll like the movie.
The Ledge is a very well-done combination of drama, romance and thriller. We are always wondering whether Gavin will jump while we listen to his story in flashbacks. Writer/director Matthew Chapman gives us compelling and grey characters with Gavin and Shana, while we get more white with Hollis and more black with Joe. Patrick Wilson really has made a cool villain, and I really liked Charlie Hunnam and Liv Tyler together.
Whether you’d go for Charlie Hunnam or Patrick Wilson (lookswise) is besides the point. Whether cheating is bad is besides the point. The real question here is would you choose to give up your own life to save somebody you love? Would you take the cheated party’s word that your lover would survive if you sacrificed yourself?
The most compelling thing about the film is that Gavin is not really a hero. He is just a regular guy, with his own demons – demons that probably have a lot to why he chooses to be on the ledge, and not just his love for Shana.
All in all, it is a very entertaining movie with a good ending. I don’t approve all of the decisions that lead us to the ending, but I really loved the movie as a whole. It’s intriguing, passionate and provocative.
Highly Recommended. Currently rated at 7.3 on IMDB.
P.S. This movie will also go into my “When Adultery Is OK” movies list.
Other movies where I am OK with the cheating:
The Scarlet Letter starring Gary Oldman, Demi Moore & Robert Duvall
Revenge starring Kevin Costner, Madeleine Stowe & Anthony Quinn
The English Patient starring Ralph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas & Colin Firth
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