by Jamie Clubb

Created on: March 20, 2010

Plot:

Harvey Shine (Dustin Hoffman) is a man who disappoints everyone, including himself. He is divorced and almost estranged from his daughter (Liane Balaban). Once a man who dreamed of musical success and wrote original music, he now plays jingles for commercials. However, he is close to losing that job and is offered one last chance shortly before he leaves on a flight to London for his daughter's wedding. On the day before the wedding he is clearly made to feel like a guest and after telling his daughter that he won't be able to attend her reception due to this "last chance" meeting, she tells him that her stepfather will be giving her way at the wedding.

Meanwhile Kate Walker (Emma Thompson) is a single Londoner who collects air passenger statistics. She is a woman used to being disappointed by men and people in general. She has settled into a humdrum routine. Her mother (Eileen Atkins) is a divorcee who constantly calls her when she is out, often interrupting social evenings and dates. The day after a blind date goes wrong, Kate will meet Harvey in an airport café after traffic has caused him to miss his flight and lose his job. Over the next 24 hours Harvey will be given his real "last chance" to take the right courses of action and Kate will have to decide whether or not she can believe in other people again...


Review:

I like to think that I have a fairly broad range of taste when it comes to films, but I am not a fan of the romantic comedy genre. Admitted, other genres have produced far worse films and to its credit it often attracts big names in front of and behind the camera, but that is actually part of its problem for me. The romantic comedy rarely takes a risk. Their formula very rarely diverges from the following: life is bad for male and female, male meets female, unlikely relationship begins, life is good, conflict causes relationship to break up, male wins back female. All of this simple and very predictable rhythm leaves plenty of room for a screenplay writer and talented actors to comfortably insert witty dialogue, perhaps some slapstick and most other comedy devices. It is unchallenging light entertainment, but if created by the likes of Woody Allen or Richard Curtis film critics and upper-middle class intelligentsia can recommend it without being considered lowbrow.

"Last Chance Harvey" is no exception to rule. It runs along the well-crafted lines of the modern rom-com without deviation. So why did I choose it? Well,

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