Disc Reviews

A Long Way Down Review

20th Jul 2014

Nick Hornby gets the go around again on screen with this adaptation of his book. The story concerns four suicidal strangers who decide on a New Year’s Eve to end their lives by dropping off the rooftop of the same building at the same time. Rather embarrassed and put off by their intentions due to the rather overcrowded private moments, the four of them decide to delay their actions and make a pact to put a time delay on doing it at all.

It’s an odd choice for a dramedy, but more so given a rather odd tone throughout as well as the four become mini-celebrities for a while as they band together and get to know one and other.

Brosnan delivers the acting goods, and frankly embarrasses almost his entire support with his much stronger turn. Toni Collette is almost lost in her rather meekish role to her louder counterparts. Aaron Paul and Imogen Poots as the younger of the four have lesser effect as well. Paul has the more mysterious of all the backgrounds, but isn’t given enough breathing room to let his drawling voice take any real command of the role. And given that his is of supreme importance throughout the film, it’s a shame to have let it slide. Which brings us to Poots – a character so full of herself she has anywhere but down to plummet in terms of getting much in the way of audience sympathy (a mid-way scene involving a chat-show ends for her in tears, and yet another temper tantrum, yet we found ourselves almost cheering for someone to make her life such a misery after the assault on the sense she projects onto others. And yet we are sure this was not the film-makers intention). And with such a loud character in for the penny and the pound, A Long Way Down then becomes a Long way in any direction. There are laughs for sure, but it never fully marries with the drama concerned.