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Harvey and Kate both wear their disappointments on their faces. Not intentionally, of course, but because the years of disappointment have taken their toll. For Harvey, it's losing the things he had, for Kate, it's never having had the things she wanted. They manage. They live their lives. And when they meet, they seem to understand each other instinctively.
In the hands of two less capable actors, the characters of Harvey and Kate would have been cliches, but Hoffman and Thompson are such pros, that you suffer with them through embarrassing and painful moments like Harvey's daughter telling him she wants her stepfather to give her away at her wedding, or Kate on a blind date being overwhelmed by a group of people who she doesn't know and with whom she has nothing in common. Thompson's face, her body language, even the expression in her eyes was so familiar to anyone who has found themselves feeling like the odd person out. Hoffman truly becomes the man who is so battered by bad luck and bad choices that the look in his eyes says that he's nearly been crushed by life. His walk is a shuffle, and there is an air of bewilderment about him as if he can't quite figure out where and how he went wrong.
And yet somehow these people, who are not so much wounded as just lost and alone, manage to meet and connect in a way so profound that though neither truly believes in the magic of love, they both allow themselves to be driven by the hope of it. They truly seem to like each other, and perhaps the recognition that this is the best and most reliable basis for any relationship is what makes them take that leap of faith.
The film, in fact, revolves around the idea of connections. Harvey's job hinges on being able to connect with clients, Kate's mother is obsessed with her new next-door neighbor, Harvey's daughter is getting married and Harvey has just one last chance to connect with her and her new husband in some meaningful way. It's a very human film and a humane one because no one is the butt of jokes or easy humor. They're all just trying very hard to connect.
One of the things I loved about the film is that everyone in it looks like a real person, like someone you'd meet on the street. They're dressed that way, too. There's no glam to the cast, no toothpaste ad smiles or designer duds, no makeup to make you wonder why a stunner like Thompson can't seem to find her man. The women in the background are real-looking women in all shapes and sizes. They're dressed like normal people and they live like normal people, not in fancy homes which make you wonder how on earth they can afford such upscale real estate. This is a film the audience can connect with too.
Last Chance Harvey
In the hands of two less capable actors, the characters of Harvey and Kate would have been cliches, but Hoffman and Thompson are such pros, that you suffer with them through embarrassing and painful moments like Harvey's daughter telling him she wants her stepfather to give her away at her wedding, or Kate on a blind date being overwhelmed by a group of people who she doesn't know and with whom she has nothing in common. Thompson's face, her body language, even the expression in her eyes was so familiar to anyone who has found themselves feeling like the odd person out. Hoffman truly becomes the man who is so battered by bad luck and bad choices that the look in his eyes says that he's nearly been crushed by life. His walk is a shuffle, and there is an air of bewilderment about him as if he can't quite figure out where and how he went wrong.
And yet somehow these people, who are not so much wounded as just lost and alone, manage to meet and connect in a way so profound that though neither truly believes in the magic of love, they both allow themselves to be driven by the hope of it. They truly seem to like each other, and perhaps the recognition that this is the best and most reliable basis for any relationship is what makes them take that leap of faith.
The film, in fact, revolves around the idea of connections. Harvey's job hinges on being able to connect with clients, Kate's mother is obsessed with her new next-door neighbor, Harvey's daughter is getting married and Harvey has just one last chance to connect with her and her new husband in some meaningful way. It's a very human film and a humane one because no one is the butt of jokes or easy humor. They're all just trying very hard to connect.
One of the things I loved about the film is that everyone in it looks like a real person, like someone you'd meet on the street. They're dressed that way, too. There's no glam to the cast, no toothpaste ad smiles or designer duds, no makeup to make you wonder why a stunner like Thompson can't seem to find her man. The women in the background are real-looking women in all shapes and sizes. They're dressed like normal people and they live like normal people, not in fancy homes which make you wonder how on earth they can afford such upscale real estate. This is a film the audience can connect with too.
Last Chance Harvey
