While suicide awareness has never been greater, the general topic of suicide can still be a taboo for many people. Thankfully though, not only does a movie A Long Way Down help increase suicide awareness, it also provides a touching, thought provoking and funny experience at the same time.
Based on Nick Hornby’s 2005 novel, A Long Way Down follows the tale of four very different people. A well known TV presenter, Martin (Pierce Brosnan) who was convicted of having sex with a minor. A bossy daughter of a politician, Jess (Imogen Poots). A single parent, Maureen (Toni Collette) and J.J. (Aaron Paul) a down and out musician.
This unlikely four meet on the roof of a high building called Toppers House (infamous for suicides), where one by one they had decided to take their own lives. Instead, they find themselves talking each other down and end up at a hospital where they decide to make a pact. That pact ensures that none of them will take their own life before Valentines Day. From here, the movie dedicates a meaty amount of time with each character and its here that you really get to know the cast, and everybody in the audience will have a tough time picking a favourite. From the opening minutes, all the characters are likeable, and to the immense credit of director Pascal Chaumeil, you really do feel like a part of their lives and every character is relatable on many different levels.
To their credit, the cast have put in some really great work here with Pierce Brosnan in particular flexing some serious acting muscle. Something that he hasn’t done in years. Aaron Paul plays a rollicking good part here as well with a character as complex as his own problems, and towards the finale he really ramps it up a notch and will seriously molest your heart strings. Imogen Poots is bursting with character and personality and she tries really hard to be a right stuck up, rich bitch. And the harder she pushes, the more you like her. But the real outstanding performance here is from Toni Collette who projects so much innocence and heart that she will reduce you to tears on more than one occasion. While there are a number of humorous moments here, and this is a very dark comedy in places, the movie wears its heart well and truly on its sleeve and is an emotional rollercoaster in places.
Its brutally honest and doesn’t shy away from much and as a result, its a very rewarding experience, but at the same time it will have you in tears on occasion. One scene in particular will have those tear ducts ready to burst and from there on in it’ll be hard to squeeze those tears back in.A Long Way Down is almost perfectly balanced with each character more or less have equal screen time. Where it falls down is around Aaron Paul’s story involving a journalist. It does nothing for the movie except aggravate a specific situation, and while it does serve a purpose, it just seems to be crowbarred in.
A Long Way Down is unlike alot of movies that are out there at the moment and it’ll certainly provide some food for thought. Ultimately though, its honest, heart felt way delivers a touching and inspiring experience at the cinema. Well worth a watch!
