Directed by:
Joel HopkinsScreenplay:
Joel HopkinsCinematography:
John de BormanCast:
Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Eileen Atkins, Kathy Baker, Liane Balaban, James Brolin, Richard Schiff, Bronagh Gallagher, Daniel Lapaine, Patrick Baladi (more)Plots(1)
Set in London, this romantic comedy stars Dustin Hoffman as Harvey Shine, a divorced and haggard jingle-writer quickly aging out of his career and workaholic ways. With a warning from his boss (Richard Schiff) to not bother rushing back, Harvey goes to London, begrudgingly, for his daughter's wedding, fielding that work calls the whole time he's there. When Harvey greets his estranged daughter, Susie (Liane Balaban), it becomes clear just how far away he's grown from his family. The film never spells out in exactly what ways Harvey was a bad father, but it is clear he missed the boat when Susie asks her stepfather (James Brolin) to give her away. As Harvey leaves his heartbreak at the ceremony for an emergency work call, he misses his flight and gets fired. While nursing a whiskey at the airport bar, Harvey bumps into Kate (Emma Thompson), an airport employee escaping her own bad day with a glass of wine and a book. Suddenly taken by Kate's British charm, a tipsy Harvey bombards her with tales of his trouble. This unlikely trading of sob stories leads to lunch, a walk around London, and a day of unexpected romance. Thompson is charming as Kate, a lonely middle-age woman struggling to deal with her mother's constant prying into her life. Despite not having had the best of luck in romance, Kate is an optimist at heart, and it's this spark for life that attracts Harvey and ultimately helps repair his image in his daughter's eyes. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
Dustin Hoffman
USA
Best movies:
Rain Man (1988)
Papillon (1973)
Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
Emma Thompson
UK
Best movies:
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Love Actually (2003)
In the Name of the Father (1993)
Eileen Atkins
UK
Best movies:
Cold Mountain (2003)
Wit (2001) (TV movie)
The Hours (2002)
Kathy Baker
USA
Best movies:
The Cider House Rules (1999)
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Cold Mountain (2003)
Liane Balaban
Canada
Best movies:
Definitely, Maybe (2008)
One Week (2008)
The Grand Seduction (2013)
James Brolin
USA
Best movies:
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Traffic (2000)
Von Ryan's Express (1965)
Richard Schiff
USA
Bronagh Gallagher
UK
Best movies:
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Sinners (2002) (TV movie)
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Daniel Lapaine
Australia
Best movies:
Agatha Christie: Poirot (1989) (series)
Dangerous Beauty (1998)
The 10th Kingdom (2000) (series)
Patrick Baladi
UK
Best movies:
Rush (2013)
Ripper Street (2012) (series)
Agatha Christie: Poirot (1989) (series)
Michael Landes
USA
Best movies:
Shot Caller (2017)
Arthur the King (2024)
Agatha Christie's Marple (2004) (series)
Vincent Brimble
UK
Best movies:
Guerre et paix (2016) (series)
Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Know Thine Enemy (2007) (TV movie)
uwantme2killhim? (2013)
Mickey Sumner
UK
Best movies:
Frances Ha (2012)
American Made (2017)
CBGB (2013)
Adam Astill
Best movies:
Last Chance Harvey (2008)
Holy Water (2009)
Abroad (2010) (TV movie)
Pascal Scott
Best movies:
Omagh (2004) (TV movie)
Intermission (2003)
The Young Offenders (2016)
Mark Kempner
UK
Best movies:
The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Murder in Angel Lane (2013) (TV movie)
Down Terrace (2009)
Last Chance Harvey (2008)
Adam James
UK
Best movies:
Much Ado About Nothing (2011) (theatrical recording)
Endeavour (2012) (series)
Jonathan Creek (1997) (series)
Michael Thomson
UK
Best movies:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
The Duchess (2008)
Daddy's Little Girl (2012)
Nadia Cameron-Blakey
Canada
Best movies:
Batman Begins (2005)
Prime Suspect 6 (2003) (TV movie)
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Alex Avery
UK
Best movies:
War Horse (2014) (theatrical recording)
Quills (2000)
Death In Holy Orders (2003) (series)