'Man On A Ledge' Takes Sam Worthington To The Edge

Actor talks to MTV News about role as a cop 'battling for his life in the ultimate extreme.'
By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Sam Worthington in "Man on a Ledge"
Photo: Summit

When walking into a theater to see a movie called "Man on a Ledge," it may seem like there isn't a whole lot of mystery to what the film will be about. But it has to get more complicated from there, right? To find out, MTV News' Josh Horowitz visited the New York City set and talked to the stars themselves.

"The movie is called 'Man on a Ledge.' It's about a guy on a ledge," said Anthony Mackie, one of the stars of the film.

Mackie's co-star Elizabeth Banks expanded on the plot and revealed more of the mystery. "Really, everything's in the title," she said. "It's about a man on a ledge, and the people around him who are trying to figure out why he's on the ledge, and how to get him off the ledge before he falls off and dies."

During the visit, Josh Horowitz sat on the ledge to speak with the man himself, Sam Worthington.

Worthington explained that obviously there's more to the movie than the man and his ledge. What makes it worth watching is the story behind the man: A good cop was framed and wrongfully sent to prison, and after a thrilling escape, he takes to the ledge in order to prove his innocence once and for all. "This is his retrial," Worthington said.

"Good action really comes down to the stakes, what's at stake, whether it's rescuing the girl, getting the diamonds or whatever," Worthington said. "He's battling for his life in the ultimate extreme, just on a ledge. He's on the edge on the ledge. Because the stakes are so high, I think that's why we can label it a thriller, an action thriller."

But even with high stakes, a movie taking place primarily on the side of building has a limited amount of space to move within. Banks said that even though Worthington's character is more or less stuck, there's still a lot of movement. "He moves around, though, on the ledge, and I think also he's constantly in danger. We're really trying to keep him alive, even though he doesn't want to jump," Banks said. "There is always a danger that you could slip and fall. You have to unravel an entire scenario that's happening."

The scenario Banks referred to is the heist going on across the street, the whole reason behind the man on the ledge and his desperate attempt to clear his name.

For Worthington, "Man on a Ledge" has provided challenges as an actor he doesn't face every day. "This one's been different because I've been having to talk. I'm having to act for the first time probably ever," he said.

That might not be what you expect from a movie with such a simple title, but Worthington learned from Mackie that acting is exactly what the movie requires. "Mackie's done these kinds of movies, and he said to me, 'Our job is to ground the action,' " he said. "That's always what I've been trying to do. If we can get away with it on this one, it's not just a gimmick movie then."

Are you excited for "Man on a Ledge"? Let us know in the comments section!

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677532/man-on-a-ledge-sam-worthington.jhtml

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