An invisible man sees himself for the first time in sweet 'Harvey'
Remember the endings of those routine action movies where the villain is about to kill the captured hero, but he's helpless to save himself - then, suddenly the hero's spouse/lover/child/cat becomes endangered, and the hero magically summons up the strength and courage to finally defeat the villain?
"Last Chance Harvey" has that very same scene, except that in this film, a beaten, beyond-middle-aged man suddenly decides to cowboy-up and change his attitude about life, because if he doesn't, he'll be spiritually and emotionally dead for the rest of his existence.
This seemingly conventional rom-com serves as a testimonial for the importance of attitude, and how having a positive, healthy one empowers people to improve their lives regardless of age or circumstance.
Harvey Shine, played by a relentlessly youthful 71-year-old Dustin Hoffman, works as a New York composer of advertising jingles. He is also a mope, one of those uninspired, unmemorable guys who fades into the wallpaper in a room of people. Imagine Charlie Brown as a lovable, loser grandfather. That's Harvey.
His boss (Richard Schiff) does not like him, and his current client is unimpressed with his latest jingle. The boss gives Harvey one last chance.
Harvey promises to do it better, but first, he must fly to a London wedding to give away his daughter, Susan (Liana Balaban).
When he arrives, he discovers that Susan, without even consulting him, has asked her new stepdad, Brian (James Brolin), to give her away at the altar. You can see the hurt in Harvey's eyes, but he masks it with nervous banter.
At dinner, Harvey fumbles his way through an awkward toast to the happy couple, and Brian quietly buries him with his own eloquent, simple toast.
Defeated and embarrassed, Harvey decides to skip the wedding and return to New York to finish his job. Why not? Who would even notice he left?
Then, another humiliation. His boss fires him - long distance.
Now utterly crushed, Harvey, who has become just as invisible as Jimmy Stewart's 6-foot-tall rabbit, stops at an airport bar.
Somebody sees him.
At last.
Her name is Kate, and she's played by the droll and witty Emma Thompson. A wounded refugee from the blind date wars, Kate, a 40-something employee in the Office of National Statistics, wants nothing to do with men, but she strikes up an intelligent chat with the American. She convinces him he should be at his daughter's wedding.
But Harvey doesn't have a date. Maybe, just maybe, Kate might consider the job?
"Last Chance Harvey" throws no innovative curveballs in the sport of romance.
But every step of the growing attachment between Harvey and Kate is measured, sweet and genuine under the capable direction of London-born Joel Hopkins, whose two previous works ("Jump Tomorrow" and "Jorge") also deal with off-kilter romantic pairings.
Oh, yes. Remember that heroic action-movie moment?
It happens during another toast, and this becomes the "last chance" referred to in the title. This is indeed Harvey's last chance. Not to find romance. Not to deliver a great speech. Not to write a better jingle.
Rather, to simply take a stand and to see himself as a person who matters.
For in Hopkins' movie, the hero does not save the universe or defeat the villain.
He simply decides to see himself as worthwhile.
And the whole world becomes a better place.
<p class="factboxheadblack">"Last Chance Harvey"</p> <p class="News">Three stars</p> <p class="News"><b>Starring: </b>Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, James Brolin, Richard Schiff, Kathy Baker</p> <p class="News"><b>Directed by:</b> Joel Hopkins</p> <p class="News"><b>Other:</b> An Overture Films release. Rated PG-13 for language. 92 minutes.</p>