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Movie review: ” Last Chance Harvey”
BY MAGGIE SCOTT
It’s not a foggy day in London town, but Harvey Shine is certainly low and down as he arrives to attend his daughter’s wedding, in director Joel Hopkins’ romantic comedy, “Last Chance Harvey.”
Harvey (Dustin Hoffman) is in a career funk as a jingle-writer. Much of the creativity
has been leached out of the job and he is about to be politely consigned to the dustbin of commercialism.
Relations are strained if they exist at all between him and his former family. His ex-wife is happily remarried, and the stepfather has been chosen to take the bride down the aisle. While Harvey awkwardly tries to reassert his parental presence in her life, it is painfully apparent to him how much time has been lost and how many chances have been missed to love and be loved.
As his attention is still diverted by the disintegration of his job, Harvey decides he can’t attend the wedding reception to hustle back to the U.S. Compounding mounting blows of missed flight and lost employment, Harvey huddles in a Heathrow Airport pub.
Spilled drink and spit profanities get the disapproving attention of Kate (Emma Thompson), trying to rest weary feet and bored mind after hours of standing to solicit answers from passengers to her Public Statistics Agency clipboard questions.
Kate tries to discourage Harvey’s piqued interest. She’s got her own prickly, pointy edges; independent but despairing of any future but spinsterhood and trips with her likewise lonely mother (Eileen Atkins). But, the age of miracles hasn’t passed, for suddenly they see each other as possible catalysts for the sun shining everywhere no matter how foggy their lives.
Walking through the city, they feel and act on the spark they’ve struck. Kate insists Harvey get to the reception, where the second next lovely moments of the story happen.
The first is Kate’s wistful description of her ideal life and his query about the view. The second is Harvey’s noble, humble, redemptive toast to the happy couple; and the third is him caressing the keys of a piano in a gentle tune (Hoffman’s playing and Hoffman’s composition) as an irresistible love offering to Kate.
In a blatant reference to “An Affair to Remember,” a missed connection between the two almost stiffs the happily-ever-after. But, do not view that morning with alarm. This is a love affair that clearly will not lose its charm. Thompson and Hoffman as ordinary, average-looking, mature adults make convincing star struck lovers. A great date movie.
A Paramount Vantage release rated PG-13 for language.
