(2008) A middling movie from director Joel Hopkins, who also wrote the romantic comedy's screenplay, for the middle-aged. Before leaving New York for London for his daughter's wedding, Harvey Shine (Dustin Hoffman), who writes jingles for TV commercials, receives an ultimatum from his boss, Marvin (Richard Schiff): "There are no more chances, Harvey."

Upon his arrival at the airport, he rudely brushes off an attendant's survey questions. She, Kate Walker (Emma Thompson), frequently pestered by her mum's calls to her cellphone, lives nearby and sees to her needs. Her mother, Maggie (Eileen Atkins), has two distractions in her otherwise empty life: Kate's still being single and the new Polish neighbor (whom she suspects of being a mass murderer).

While Kate goes on a double, but for her blind, date with a younger colleague, who leaves her in an uncomfortable situation at the pub with a stranger, Harvey's feeling awkward (his new suit coat still has the garment theft-prevention device attached to the sleeve) and out of place - unfamiliar with everyone, including his ex-wife Jean's (Kathy Baker) new husband Brian (James Brolin) - at his daughter's pre-nuptial party. In a tête-à-tête with Jean she tells Harvey when he asks why she consented to marry him: "I was very young and you were lots of fun."

The bride's father makes his apologies in advance for having to return to New York (an important client) immediately after the wedding, necessitating his missing the reception; she informs him (why not earlier?) of her decision to have Brian walk her down the aisle. An embarrassment to his family, admittedly he hadn't been a good father, but this slight cuts deep.

The next day in heavy traffic - as he exits the taxi, Kate gets in - he misses his flight; trying to explain to Marvin by cellphone the circumstances, he's told: "It's over." Seeking solace in a drink at a pub, Harvey recognizes the woman reading a book as the airport attendant he'd ignored. Though he's eager to express his regrets, she's irritated with his chatter after a "shitty day." He assures her his has been worse, which attracts her curiosity; after hearing an enumeration of his recent disasters, she agrees: "Fair enough, you win."

After sharing conversation, Harvey expresses his relief to find someone who says directly what she feels and means it. After walking her to her writing class and waiting for her afterward, he allows her to convince him ("unforgivable" if he doesn't) that he now must attend Susan and Scott's reception, so long as she will accompany him in a new dress he purchases for her. The late-comers are given seats at a table with the children of other guests from where Harvey, as the bride's father, interrupts Brian to make a gracious toast to the newlyweds.

The not-quite-good-enough jazz pianist plays a tune of his own composition for Kate, stays up all night outdoors with his English lady friend, sharing personal histories, as fountains plash nearby, and promises to meet her at the same spot at noon. Of course, as in An Affair to Remember, one of them unintentionally is absent for the appointment.

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Copyright © 2008 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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