LAST CHANCE HARVEY
RYAN: “Last Chance Harvey” is a quiet dramedy starring Hollywood greats Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson.
CAROLINE: This is sort of like the middle-aged version of “Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset” with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, both of which I loved. I didn’t love this movie quite as much those two, since I couldn’t relate to it as well, but I enjoyed it and thought it was very sweet.
RYAN: I didn’t really identify with either of the characters, but I definitely appreciated the love story. It’s a good look at complicated relationships in modern times… from a senior citizens’ point of view.
CAROLINE: [laughs’ Ouch. I liked Dustin Hoffman’s story line – he’s estranged from his daughter who’s about to get married in London, and he flies out for the wedding. His professional life is falling apart. It’s painful to watch at times, but very well acted.
RYAN: I wasn’t particularly interested in seeing this movie until Dustin and Emma were both nominated for Golden Globes for their performances. Now I can totally see why they were nominated; they’re both brilliant actors who give good-form performances.
CAROLINE: They play very well off each other, and their banter is great. Even though I can’t relate to finding love late in life, I just love the whole “Don’t give up on love even when you’re older and you think it’s never going to happen for you” message. It’s very hopeful.
RYAN: There are a couple of twists that keep you on your toes too.
CAROLINE: It takes place mostly over the course of one day, and it’s exciting to watch them start to hit it off. Sure, it’s a little predictable; but I was cheering for them, so I didn’t mind.
RYAN: I did relate to certain aspects of Emma Thompson’s character. And there a lots of fun misfires when they meet and awkward “getting to know you” moments that I think we can all relate to.
— BOTTOM LINE —
CAROLINE: It’s a very sweet, cute movie, but it’s not imperative that you see it on the big screen.
RYAN: I agree. It’s a nice length; about an hour and forty minutes. You’ll enjoy it if you care about these actors or are in the mood for a relationship drama, but you can definitely wait till it’s on DVD.
— RATING —
