Last Chance Harvey
written and directed by Joel Hopkins
starring Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Eileen Atkins, Kathy Baker, Liane Balaban, James Brolin, Richard Schiff, Daniel Lapaine
Harvey Shine (Hoffman) is having a bit of a crisis. His job writing commercial jingles hangs in the balance as he leaves New York for London to attend the wedding of his daughter Susan (Balaban) to Scott (Lapaine). In short order Susan tells him she would prefer that her step father Brian (Brolin) give her away and he loses his job. Utterly dejected he stumbles into a bar and is transfixed by a woman named Kate Walker (Thompson) who tries her best to ignore his advances. Undeterred he worms his way in and manages to convince her to let him walk her to her writing class. The film focuses on the slow, deliberate march to romance that develops as these two gradually suss each other out over the rest of the evening.
It is simply a joy to watch two powerhouse actors awkwardly and tentatively dance about one another as the inevitable makes itself manifest. Each of them is just so good at playing wounded and crestfallen. Kate isn't thrilled with how things have gone and has essentially sworn off men although she does agree to a blind date that she knows upon meeting him will lead nowhere. She has a tendency to thrive on disappointment so when Harvey doesn't show at an agreed upon meeting place she's relieved. She's also deeply hurt and decides that Harvey isn't worth mussing her hair about. However, he's determined and decides he's not going back to New York and he puts all his efforts into convincing Kate that he's the right man for her.
The film unveils the process that takes place whenever two people meet for the first time. Harvey already possesses a lead into communication because he regrets being so cold when he brushed Kate off at the airport as she attempted to ask him a few questions as per her job. He apologizes profusely and waits for her to respond. He's not easily rebuffed and sets his sights firmly on getting to know her. She quickly melts and eventually she accepts him as something other than a stranger. His efforts pay off and he's ultimately given an opportunity to forget the difficulties of the day while walking with Kate. The River Thames provides a gorgeous backdrop as these two people begin to learn about each other in the most casual manner possible.
Kate convinces Harvey to attend his daughter's wedding reception which he told Susan he would be missing because he had to fly back to New York. Susan is visibly disappointed but considers it typical behavior of her father who has not much been in her life for a good many years. This is the moment she decides to inform her father that she wants Brian to give her away. It's a defensive measure that one feels she employs to prove to her father that she has recovered from his years of neglect and that she has moved on.
The film has a languid, easy pace that is expressed by the deliberate manner with which each of the central characters move about. There is no hurry and it's refreshing to view a film that seems grown up in how it handles the sticky wicket of interpersonal communication. These are adults and they behave as adults do however there is a playful giddiness that comes over both of them as they react to the obvious sparks that are flying between them. It's clear that each of them wants to believe in the possibilities but that experience has deeply affected their ability to accept open signs of affection from another human being. They are both reserved and shy although Harvey is able to push on and force himself into Kate's life whether she's ready for him or not. He nakedly shows himself and she can't help but react in a positive manner to his overtures. He's a gentleman, he's funny, he pays attention to her every detail. He makes her feel necessary and vital and it's clearly been a while since she's been treated so unabashedly and with so much care and forthrightness.
The journey is what's key to this film. The openness and allowance for romance to flourish is such a controlled, exquisitely rendered form is rare in cinema these days. These are not two people succumbing to the tyranny of their hormones; they take it slow because they are strictly after the tension because they recognize that it fosters the greatest pleasure in the end. This is a classic romance with limited physical contact and but a mere promises of more to come. In an age where everyone rushes off to bed only to be left cold and disillusioned, here we have a couple who celebrate the agony of wanting paired with the rapture of restraint. It is definitely an elegant dance that feels like it can go on forever or at least until each individual finally collapses out of the sheer exhaustion of pure bliss.
As mentioned the performances in this film are luxurious and grand. Dustin Hoffman plays a damaged but not broken man who is still charming enough to put himself in a position to crack an exceedingly difficult nut. Hoffman is refined and delicately projects vulnerability and an unyielding charm that clearly works its magic on the intended target. Emma Thompson exudes a rustling sexuality and expertly conveys her character's weaknesses and fears. Thompson is the best at making words matter. There is just something innately enjoyable about hearing her speak the English Language in the manner it has always been intended.
Overall, this is a simply story about complicated emotional realities. Each character carefully maneuvers themselves into and out of position vis-a-vis one another. They are two people worth believing in and their story is worth pursuing beyond the ending of the film. It is a remarkably economical film and edited with great precision. There is not a wasted moment in the film and the dialog is meticulously expressed. Mostly, the nervousness of the characters is revealed through gesture and slight alterations in mannerism. Kate is shy and not altogether confident yet she contains a tremendous appetite for nuance and color. Harvey has slipped slightly off the slope but possesses a great deal of infectious charm that allows him to ensnare his prey without seeming to apply much effort to the enterprise. Of course he's not aware of what he is doing only that he has forged a connection with a woman with whom he has discovered a part of himself that had gone missing. Together they make a smashing couple who deserve whatever modicum of happiness life might afford them. The film speaks to those carefree moments where conversations cast long shadows and true magic exists between strangers. It demonstrates that romantic films can be smart and subtle and that great actors working with a fine script will never go out of style.