A LONG WAY DOWN

UK, 2014, 96 minutes, Colour.
Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Imogen Poots, Aaron Paul, Sam Neill, Tuppence Middleton, Rosamund Pike.
Directed by Pascal Chaumeil.

A Long Way Down refers to the distance from the top of a building where people would jump to kill themselves and the ground below.

One of the main reasons for seeing this film is the presence and performance by Toni Collette as a depressed mother, feeling helpless, looking after an adult son who is severely disabled and requires constant care.

This is a film about suicidal tendencies and motivations, four central characters, each given their own name on the screen and a section for this story to be told, while all the stories are interconnected.

Pierce Brosnan is a television host who makes a mess of his life by an affair with an underage girl, who goes to prison, loses everything and contemplates suicide on New Year’s Eve. He is prevented from jumping from the Topper Building by the presence and performance of Toni Collette, then the impulsive Jess, Imogen Poots, the scatty daughter of a politician (Sam Neill) who leaps rushingly to kill herself. There is a fourth character, who alleges he has brain cancer, an American played by Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad.

They don’t kill themselves, their lives interlink and they make a pact not to do anything rash before Valentine’s Day. Their activities are somewhat unbelievable, and may have read better in Nick Hornby’s original novel. With all the press attention, they decide to make up a story of seeing a light or an angel who stops them killing themselves – many headlines, pursued by journalists, and an appearance on Brosnan’s old television show with a surface-charming hostess, Rosamund Pike, who probes all the embarrassing questions. They also go on and Mediterranean holiday, where the American encounters a sympathetic young woman only to find that she is a journalist.

There is a dramatic climax on Valentine’s Day – another possible suicide but a rescue and the four connecting and affirming life.

But it is Tony Collette’s character and her care for her son that is compelling.

1. A blend of the serious and comic? Suicide? Motivations? Death, the affirmation of life?

2. The London settings, the tall tower and the roof, clubs, homes, the media, television stations? The Mediterranean holiday resort? Life in London, the media, politics, care for the disabled? New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, a climax on the rooftop? The musical score?

3. The title, the view from the roof, for the would-be suicides?

4. The four central characters, each given their own time and space in the story, the interlinking?

5. The credibility of the plot, adapted from Nick Hornby novel? Realism, Surrealism, comedy and spoof?

6. Martin’s story, Pierce Brosnan and his screen presence, the voice-over, his career, marriage and children, the affair with the underage girl, his not knowing, the attacks on him as a paedophile, the prison sentence, his getting out? Carrying the ladder up the steps? Contemplating suicide? The arrival of the others? The car, the search for Jess? The bonding with the others? The pact for Valentine’s Day? His encounter with Jess’s father, the political background? His idea of the holiday? Arranging it, enjoying it? The interactions with each of the characters? The return, Valentine’s Day, his discussions with J.J., the truth, the issue of being humiliated? The search for J.J. on the rooftop?

7. The press, the meeting, the story about the angels, developing it, going on television, the newspaper headlines, the interview with Penny?

8. Jess’s story, her age, the disappearance of the sister, her politician father, being spoilt, lies, low self-image, the clash with the boyfriend, on the roof, running, her being stopped? In the car, going to the club? The group finding the boy friend, his bewilderment? The pact? Her relationship with her father, mother, scenes at home? Taking J.J. to the scene at her sister’s disappearance? The clashes with her father? On the holiday, enjoying it, seen J.J., with the journalist, in his room, telling him the truth? The return home? The meeting, her father meeting with Martin? Concern about J.J., going to the roof? The finale and her relationship with him?

9. J.J. and his story, American, alleging that he had brain cancer, on the roof? His telling Jess the truth? The lies to the others? The story of his band and success? The holiday, enjoying it, the attraction towards Cathy, not knowing she was a journalist, explaining his life, her comment on the lyrics of his songs? The night together? The truth? His going back, the odd jobs, the lady opposite looking at the window? His disappearing? Valentine’s Day, his being on the roof, his confession, a long way down, the truth for all? His not jumping? The end and his relationship with Jess?

10. Maureen’s story? Appearing on the roof, her appearance, fragile personality, tentative? Giving Martin privacy? The others arrival? Waiting at the bus stop in Martin giving her a lift? His saying that she felt helpless? The truth about her life, her disabled son, her continued care for him, the medical help, no father present? Her timidity? The story of the angels, her not knowing who Matt Damon was? On television? The holiday, her reluctance at the airport? Enjoying it? Getting some energy back? Her return home, the scenes of care for her son? His seeming to stop breathing, the emergency, the ambulance, the group arriving at the hospital to support her? His surviving? The swimming pool sequences? The attention of the dcotor, his admiration for Maureen, his help? Valentine’s Day and the glitter on her face, and her dancing?

11. Coping with the publicity, the newspaper headlines, the story about the angel? The various versions, the publicity, the crowds, Jess and her parents, Maureen and her awkwardness? Going on television?

12. Penny, past host of the TV show with Martin? Her seeming charm, the nature of her questions, penetrating and humiliating, to each of them?

13. The finale, everyone in contact, the affirmation of life, Martin and his daughter, Jess and J.J. together, Maureen and her son and getting some energy again?