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Old Flames

It's hard to watch people be mean to Dustin Hoffman, one of cinema's most joyous, kind-hearted staples, but that's what happens often in "Last Chance Harvey." In British writer/director Joel Hopkins' bittersweet romantic drama, Hoffman stars as Harvey Shine, a down-on-his-luck New Yorker who can't help but fail both personally and professionally. Oddly enough, this simple film without an original trick up its sleeve manages to avoid the same fate. 

Things are coming up weeds for Harvey. He once dreamed of being a jazz pianist but "wasn't good enough," so instead he pads his wallet by composing jingles for commercials. His boss (Richard Schiff) doubts he can hack the job anymore and gives him one last chance to prove him wrong. But he's too busy having to prove his self-worth to his estranged daughter (Liane Balaban), who is about to get married in London.

Over in the U.K., Harvey shows up at the rehearsal dinner in the wrong kind of suit, his cell starts ringing in the middle of a speech and he learns that the bride-to-be has elected her stepdad (James Brolin) to walk her down the aisle instead of him. Harvey is the definitive black sheep and nobody seems to want him taking up space in their flock.

That is, until Kate (Emma Thompson) comes into the picture. She's jaded by love and drained from taking care of her probing mother (Eileen Atkins) who her friends describe as "human contraception." Horrified by the thought of another bad date – her last one involved tears in a toilet stall – she decides to spend the afternoon alone in the airport with a trashy romance novel and a drink. Then Harvey shows up, similarly beaten down by life, and, well, you can guess what ensues.

"Last Chance Harvey" is like "Before Sunrise" for the older, less intellectually-demanding crowd. When they prowl the streets of Europe together, discussing their past and exchanging playful banter, it's near-impossible not to root for their happy ending. Hoffman and Thompson, who both appeared in the superbly bizarre "Stranger Than Fiction," lift the film with their breezy sparks and unmasked pain.

While "Last Chance Harvey" isn't likely to blow anyone's mind, it's a sweet, subtle tale of senior lovin' and a welcome departure from the countless films about teen romance and 20s swooning.