Discription
Man on a Ledge (2012)
Summary:
Man on a Ledge is an action crime thriller centered on Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington), an ex-cop and fugitive who has been wrongly convicted of stealing a massive diamond from a powerful businessman, David Englander (Ed Harris). To prove his innocence, Nick stages a dramatic suicide threat by climbing out onto the 21st-floor ledge of the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan. While the police—including negotiator Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks)—are distracted by the high-stakes situation, Nick is covertly coordinating a simultaneous operation with his brother, Joey Cassidy (Jamie Bell), and Joey's girlfriend, Angie (Genesis Rodriguez), to break into Englander's vault across the street and retrieve the stolen diamond, exposing the true thief.
Plot:
The movie begins with Nick Cassidy, having recently escaped from prison after being framed for the theft of a $\$40$ million diamond, checking into a Manhattan hotel room. He climbs onto the narrow window ledge and prepares to jump, immediately attracting a massive police and media presence. Nick specifically requests to speak with Detective Lydia Mercer, a police negotiator who is currently on suspension due to a failed negotiation.
As Lydia attempts to talk Nick down, the distraction on the ledge serves as the perfect cover for the true operation: Nick's brother Joey and Angie are breaking into the high-security vault of David Englander, the man who framed Nick, in a building across the street. The intense standoff is revealed to be a meticulously planned diamond heist designed to prove Nick's innocence by recovering the "stolen" gem, which Englander faked the theft of to collect insurance money.
The film constantly cuts between Nick's perilous position on the ledge and Joey and Angie's acrobatic and risky break-in. Corrupt police officers and the ruthless Englander realize what is happening and attempt to intervene, leading to a tense climax. The diamond is eventually recovered, Nick jumps from the roof onto an air cushion, and the true crime is exposed. In the final scene, Nick, now exonerated, celebrates with his family and Lydia, revealing that his own father faked his death to facilitate Nick's prison escape.
Cast:
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Sam Worthington as Nick Cassidy (Ex-Cop/Fugitive)
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Elizabeth Banks as Lydia Mercer (Police Negotiator)
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Jamie Bell as Joey Cassidy (Nick's Brother)
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Ed Harris as David Englander (The Antagonist/Businessman)
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Anthony Mackie as Mike Ackerman (Nick's Former Partner)
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Genesis Rodriguez as Angela “Angie” Lopez (Joey’s Girlfriend/Associate)
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Edward Burns as Jack Dougherty (Rival Police Negotiator)
Crew:
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Director: Asger Leth
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Writer/Story: Pablo Fenjves
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Screenplay: Erich Hoeber, Jon Hoeber
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Producers: Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian
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Music Composer: Henry Jackman
Release Info:
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Language: English
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Release Date: January 27, 2012 (United States)
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Running Time: Approx. 102 minutes
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Genre: Crime, Thriller, Action
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Rating: PG-13
You can check out the official trailer for the film to see some of the suspenseful moments on the ledge.
