A Long Way Down

A Long Way Down (2014) is a tragicomedy you can watch online on iFILM, directed by Pascal Chaumeil from Nick Hornby's novel. It's New Year's Eve on the roof of a London tower block with a grim reputation. Four strangers have climbed up here for the exact same reason: to jump.

There's a disgraced TV host fresh out of prison, a foul-mouthed politician's daughter, a worn-down single mother caring for a disabled son, and a failed American musician. They collide on the same ledge, and queuing up to jump suddenly feels ridiculous. So they cut a strange deal instead: stay alive together until Valentine's Day, then reconsider. The tabloids christen them the Topper House Four, and the sudden fame tangles each messy life even further.

Pierce Brosnan plays the fallen broadcaster, Aaron Paul the drifting musician, Imogen Poots the prickly teen, and Toni Collette the exhausted mum. The cast keeps the film afloat even where the script softens the bite of Hornby's book. It's less pitch-black comedy than a gentle story about accidental people propping each other up. A solid pick when you want warmth without the syrup. Stream A Long Way Down (2014) online on iFILM.