Martin (Pierce Brosnan) was a successful television morning show host UNTIL he slept, inadvertently he claims, with an underage lass. Now, he's jobless, wifeless, kidsless and desperate. So, he climbs a well known London building on New Year's Eve to jump off. But, wait! Its a bit crowded up there! Also thinking of jumping is Maureen (Toni Collette) a single mother with a disabled son, Jess (Imogen Poot) a politician's daughter whose sister has gone missing, and J.J. (Aaron Paul) who says he has brain cancer. As they being chatting, they soon decide tonight is not the night. What they will do instead is make a "pact" to try to work out their problems until Valentine's Day. Then, if things are not better, its Geronimo. Jess seems the most troubled and is rushed to the hospital by the new "gang" as she has taken an overdose. Also, more secrets come tumbling out. Perhaps the only remedy needed is a friendship that binds them together? This lovely film, based on a book by Nick Hornsby, has humor, sorrow, sweetness, and insight in equal measures. The four principal characters are great and are supporting finely by Sam Neill, Rosamond Pike, and others. The London setting is interesting while a second setting in Tenerife is most lovely. Nice costumes are complimented by a great script and a surefooted direction. Are you "down" on life at this moment? Watch this heartwarming movie and then get up and make some new friends!

I expected a comedy. I love English movies and am rarely disappointed. It had some funny moments, but a comedy, it's not. And I was STILL not disappointed. It was a very good story, a NICE story. I use that word a lot but sometimes, I can't think of a more appropriate one.As you know, 4 people who are planning suicide end up not doing it on New Year's Eve making a pact to do it Valentine's Day. It shows how they bond over the coming weeks and as has been mentioned, they form a sort of surrogate co-dependent family. It's a chance for them to talk out their issues and have someone with issues just as tough for them (in different unique ways), to listen. Misery loves company. What starts as mutual annoyance slips into reluctant friendship and you eventually see it become a loving family of sorts.Nice. Photography, done well. Acting, hey, it's a cast of real pros, so you can expect that was good. But honestly, unless the photography and acting is really wretched, WHO CARES? When I read the reviews of others, I want only to know if it was a good story executed well, not if it's academy award material.I don't know if this could win an Oscar and don't care. It was very nice movie with a upbeat story. Isn't that really all that matters in the long run?

Based on popular author Nick Hornby's novel of the same name, Pascal Chaumeil's adaptation of A Long Way Down is a tonally awkward film that you can't help but feel had more to give had it been more efficiently made, but thanks to a talented acting ensemble, the film overcomes many of its narrative troubles to be an enjoyable and even sometimes touching tale of life and friendship.Setting a film around botched suicide attempts seems like a sure-fire trip into Depressionville but this is absolutely a comedic look at a subject that arguably needed a little more realism attached to it. We have a disgraced TV personality Martin (Brosnan), hardworking mother Maureen (Collette), loud and obnoxious young lady Jess (Poots) and forlorn pizza delivery guy J.J (Paul) who create a rag-tag bunch of people that in real life would not put up with each other for more than a few minutes but here take holidays together and it sets up many awkward moments and musings on life and all its troubles. It's often a very strange scenario and one about as far away from realism as your likely to get but the actors here do some fine work despite Imogen Poot's grating performance and Dario Marianelli's overbearing score.It's always nice to see Pierce Brosnan given something to do and he aces his role as Martin. Martin is a believable character and along with Toni Collette's Maureen he makes for the film's most relatable figures. This is what A Long Way Down needed a little more of to really make it fly, some relatability and persons that feel cut from the real world. Aaron Paul does some nice work also as J.J, a man who's not quite sure why he feels the way he does and that too is something I'm sure people can associate with. It's nice to see Paul succeed here as he has an undeniable presence on screen when given the right material. The films largest annoyance (other than the wasting of Sam Neill and Rosamund Pike in short support turns) is by far Imogen Poots. Her Jess is a tacky and insipid creation that will bring the films mood down consistently in an overplayed and over extenuated role, all loud noises and arrogant remarks, it truly is an annoying thing to witness.A Long Way Down has some nice things to say about life, love and friendship and while it's all told in a very Hollywood light way, the message is still an important one. While not everything here rings true and some situations would've been better suited on the cutting room floor, there is enough here to suggest many will find enjoyment and maybe even some life affirming notions amongst all the goings on.3 step ladders out of 5 For more movie reviews and opinions check into - www.jordanandeddie.wordpress.com

It's New Year's Eve in London. Martin Sharp (Pierce Brosnan) was a successful TV morning host until an affair with an underage girl and prison time. He goes up to the roof of the Toppers Building to kill himself. He is interrupted by Maureen Thompson (Toni Collette) who waits for her turn. She has the sole caregiver of a disabled son. They are struggling and unstable heart-broken Jess Crichton (Imogen Poots) comes running to jump. Then pizza delivery boy J.J. Maguire (Aaron Paul) appear claiming to be dying from brain cancer. It starts raining and Martin drives the quartet home. Jess comes up with the idea not to kill themselves before the coming Valentine's Day.The opening is so manufactured that it takes awhile to work it off. The audience has to surrender to its premise. It needs to be more of a truly dark comedy. Imogen Poots takes full advantage with her performance. She really gets to stretch out. Brosnan is fine. Collette is reserved. Aaron Paul needs to be weirder. In a group of dysfunction, he functions too well. It's not until the end that he lets go. Then there is the jarring tone changes. Just as it gets comfortable with a direction, it takes a sharp turn. I don't know much about the Nick Hornby novel but maybe it works better on the page.