Last Chance Harvey – Movie Review | h Magazine's hmonthly.com

Last Chance Harvey – Movie Review

Posted on 20. Dec, 2008 by Administrator in Film/TV

by Jason Dean

Dustin Hoffman has nothing to prove. He resides on the top shelf of gifted actors of his generation. His body of work covers culture-defining films from the ’60s (The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy), ’70s (All the President’s Men, Kramer vs. Kramer), and the ’80s (Tootsie, Rain Man). He’s stayed relevant all these years, although not always meeting the artistic standards of his past (see Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium). So consider Last Chance Harvey Hoffman’s cinematic apology for foisting Edward Magorium on an unsuspecting public last year in the midst of the holiday season.

Skillfully avoiding formulaic romantic comedy pitfalls, writer/director Joel Hopkins has fashioned a baby boomer date movie that can appeal to twenty-somethings as well. Hoffman plays Harvey Shine, a frustrated composer whose artistic talents have been relegated to writing commercial jingles. And things aren’t going so well. Time has passed him by, no one is buying his demos, and his boss gives him a token final chance to come up with a sellable tune. Harvey’s daughter Heather (a radiant Liane Balaban) is getting married in London that weekend, but he wants to return in time to attend the meeting in a desperate attempt to hold onto his job.

We get to see Harvey as a hapless outsider in various situations during the first half of the movie. See Harvey fail at small talk on an airplane. See Harvey alone in his hotel room as he realizes the rest of the wedding party is gathered at his ex-wife’s house. See Harvey at the rehearsal dinner with the electronic theft tag still attached to the jacket he bought earlier that day. See Harvey duck out after the ceremony, miss his flight home, and lose his job. Fortunately, Harvey’s mood changes after a chance meeting with Kate Walker (Emma Thompson). Kate is an airline worker who is searching for (or avoiding?) a trace of excitement in her life. They share a montage of memories just in time for Harvey to bring her to the reception. With Kate at his side, he regains the respect of Heather and even redeems himself somewhat to the rest of the family.

Hoffman and Thompson share a genuine onscreen chemistry as Hoffman breaks out of his Lost in Translation-like malaise. Kathy Baker is notable as Jean, the icy ex-wife who weathered Harvey’s alcohol-tinged frustrations before moving on to the more reliable Brian (James Brolin). Last Chance Harvey tells an endearing story that is mainstream enough to find an audience but does not sell its soul for box office success. (Overture Films, 92 minutes; opens January 23).

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