Joel Hopkins’s ‘Last Chance Harvey’ tells a mature age love story. The film brings together two lonely people who keep on getting the rough end of life’s stick.

Emma Thompson plays Kate, a lonely English airport attendant, whose life is mostly made up of caring for her elderly and demanding mother and going through the indignity of having her work colleagues set her up on blind dates that fail abysmally.

Dustin Hoffman plays Harvey, a lonely New York jingles composer for television advertisements, whose life has reached a new low. He has flown to London to attend his daughter’s wedding to find out that his daughter has asked her stepfather rather than him to give her away. Whilst in London he rings his boss to let him know when he’s flying back, only to be fired over the phone.

Harvey and Kate meet at an airport bar. Harvey keeps on downing Johnnie Walkers, and chats up Kate as quietly reading a paperback novel. At first Kate’s response to Harvery’s garrulousness is very frosty but they soon, well sort of us, have lunch together and their journey has started.

Last Chance Harvey’ has plenty of riches. Joel Hopkins’s screenplay is well structured, and the writing is erudite with some great lines. Hopkins’s direction is tight and assured. The film looks good and sounds good with a good score.

Most of all though, the richness of this film lies in watching two very fine actors do their shtick. Emma Thompson has such natural attractiveness, unpretentious charm and intelligence, and her portrayal of Kate works well. Dustin Hoffman might be 70 now but he’s still got that star quality. No-one plays an angst ridden character with an iron will better. Recommended.