Starring:Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Kathy Baker, James Brolin, Eileen Atkins
Theatrical Release Date:12/25/2008
DVD Release Date:05/05/2009
Rating:PG-13
MPAA Reasons:for brief strong language
Run Time:99 min.
Distributor(s):Overture Films
Production Co.:Overture Films
Director(s):Joel Hopkins
Genre(s):Drama, Romance
Themes:Estrangement, Wedding Bells, Americans Abroad, Down on Their Luck, Unlikely Friendships, Fathers and Daughters
Tone:Sweet, Gentle
Keywords:writer, British, romance, wedding, American [nationality]
Country of Origin:USA
Language:English
Academy Award winners Dustin Hoffman (‘Rain Man’) and Emma Thompson (‘Sense and Sensibility’) reunite in ‘Last Chance Harvey,’ a hopeful romance that celebrates new beginnings–at any age. The film is directed and writtend by Joel Hopkins (‘Jump Tomorrow’).
New Yorker Harvey Shine (Dustin Hoffman) is on the verge of losing his dead-end job as a jingle writer. Warned by his boss (Richard Schiff) that he has just one more chance to deliver, Harvey goes to London for a weekend to attend his daughter’s (Liane Balaban) wedding but promises to be back on Monday morning to make an important meeting–or else.
Harvey arrives in London only to learn his daughter has chosen to have her stepfather (James Brolin) walk her down the aisle instead of him. Doing his best to hide his devastation, he leaves the wedding before the reception in hopes of getting to the airport on time, but misses his plane anyway. When he calls his boss to explain, he is fired on the spot.
Drowning his sorrows at the airport bar, Harvey strikes up a conversation with Kate (Emma Thompson), a slightly prickly, 40-something employee of the Office of National Statistics. Kate, whose life is limited to work, the occaisional humiliating blind date and endless phones calls from her smother mother (Eileen Atkins), is touched by Harvey, who finds himself energized by her intelligence and compassion.
