Sunday, Jul 5, 2009

Monday’s Movie: Last Chance Harvey

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I invite everybody to participate in the weekly MEME and write about any movies, television or big screen, that you’ve seen over the past week and write about it.  Please feel free to use the above logo photo in your post and/or link back to the site.  I will post every Sunday Night or Monday Morning on the movie I’ve seen from the past week.  I’m hoping that there are other movie buffs out there who will enjoy the MEME as much as I’m hoping to!  The only small request that I have is that you rate the movie out of 5 bags of popcorn (so, 1 bag out of 5, 2 bags out of 5, and so on). 

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Movie:  Last Chance Harvey

Starring:  Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Kathy Baker, Liane Balaban, James Brolin, Daniel Lapaine

Genre:  Drama

Runtime: 93 Minutes

MPAA Rating:  PG-13

Directed By:  Joel Hopkins

I had read several reviews about this movie, all indicating that this was a good movie.  After watching it, I tend to agree.  This is the story of a man who realizes the importance of last chances and living for the moment.  Harvey, played by Hoffman, takes a short vacation from his failing job to fly to London for his daughter’s wedding.  When he arrives in London, he meets Kate Walker, played by Thompson, an interviewer for the an English public data company.  She attempts to interview him with her questionnaire, however he is brief and short with her. 

Once Harvey arrives in his hotel, he discovers that he’s been situated outside of the housing plans for the wedding party.  His ex-wife has rented a large home for their lodging, while Harvey has been scheduled for a nearby hotel.  At the rehearsal dinner, he clearly no longer fits in with his daughter’s new life as he observes his ex-wife and her second husband filling the role of the parents of the bride. 

After dinner, Harvey tells his daughter, Susan, that he will attend the ceremony, however cannot make the evening reception as he has to get back to the United States for a presentation for a very important client.  It is at this time that Susan tells Harvey that she has asked her step-father to give her away at the wedding the next day.  

Heartbroken, Harvey attends the wedding ceremony as an outsider and leaves promptly thereafter for the airport to return home.  He hits traffic and misses his plane.  In an airport bar/restaurant, Harvey sees Kate and attempts to apologize for his rudeness when she approached him for the questionnaire.   It is this second meeting with Kate that changes Harvey’s life, forever.

 Hoffman does an expectedly good job as Harvey.  He creates a character that is flawed, yet understandable.  Emma Thompson does perform well in this movie, although I found her performance in Love, Actually  much more heartfelt.  I’m not sure the chemistry was right between the two characters, although their bond was evident.  Kathy Baker, who played Harvey’s ex-wife, is the famous actress that Lisa, Florinda, Amy and I spotted in the coffee bar at Vroman’s Bookstore when we went for the David Ebershoff book signing.  It was driving me crazy that I couldn’t place her and I’m glad that I finally did!

Overall, this movie was good and I did enjoy the time I spent watching it.  It does remind you that life is short and every day is the chance to live the life that you will live with no regrets  Out of 5 bags of popcorn, genre drama… I give this:

Please add your reviews into Mr. Linky!

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