Pierce Brosnan stars with Toni Collette, Imogen Poots, and Aaron Paul in "A Long Way Down" from 2014.

Brosnan plays a television celebrity, Martin, who was in prison for taking up with a woman who turned out to be a girl and not 25 as he thought. He was left with nothing, no career and no family.

On New Year's Eve, he goes to a tall building, a well-known suicide place, to jump. While he's struggling with his decision to make the leap, he realizes he's not alone. Maureen (Collette) is waiting for him to finish so she can take her turn. Two other people, Jess (Poots) and JJ (Paul) show up. Popular place, popular time of year to kill oneself.

Rather than do that, the four of them decide to support one another in what they're going through. When discussing when the next big suicide day is, they decide it's probably Valentine's Day.

Martin wants to kill himself for obvious reasons, Maureen has a physically challenged son and she thinks if she kills herself, he will get better care. JJ says he has cancer. Jess has been rejected by her boyfriend.

This is a funny, warm, uplifting comedy/drama. The acting is wonderful. It was so great to see Aaron Paul again after "Breaking Bad." Imogen Poots, the fragile Jess, is gorgeous and gives a poignant performance. As an added treat, her father is played by Sam Neill. Toni Collette is always good, and her scenes with her son were especially sweet. The scene at the hospital was very touching.

You care about the characters finding their way. Highly recommended. The power of love - hard to beat it as a theme.

By the first few minutes of "A Long Way Down", you'd think this film was a dark comedy. However, while it has a few of these elements, it's actually much more of a drama...and a pretty good one at that. Now I am not saying it's a great film, as it has a few minor problems here and there, but overall it features some very nice acting and the story is very original-- something you can't say about most films.

When the story begins, Martin (Pierce Brosnan) has climbed to the top of a skyscraper in order to kill himself. After all, although he'd been a famous TV personality, his life has recently become infamous after he was caught sleeping with an underage girl. Now, jobless and fresh out of prison, he feels he's got no other choice but commit suicide. Oddly, however, his task is disrupted when he discovers three others up on the roof--also to kill themselves on New Year's Eve. Now, with his mood and resolve disrupted, Martin, as well as the others, decide not to die...at least for now. Soon, the four begin talking and they come up with a pact--they agree not to kill themselves...at least until Valentine's Day.

As the picture progresses, each of the other three reveal their stories about what's brought them to this point. Jess (Imogen Poots) appears to be a happy and wild spirit. However, she's hiding her sadness about the disappearance of her sister and she's deeply depressed. When asked, J.J. (Aarron Paul) tells the new 'friends' that he's dying of brain cancer--but he holds a secret he keeps from them for much of the movie. And, Maureen (Toni Collette),she's very pitiful. She is sad and lonely---spending all her time caring for her severely physically and mentally disabled son and having little left for herself. Her story is the most touching. As to what happens next, you'll just have to see this one for yourself.

The beginning and ending of this film are its strengths. Both are well written and well acted and really satisfy. As for the middle, the movie seems to sometimes lose its way. Too often, the story seems to move too quickly--as if you're only seeing part of the film and other parts were left out somehow. Additionally, a few of the things that occur during this period seem awfully random and out of place. But, and this is important, the good stuff in the film really makes you overlook the bad. With such an odd and compelling story and some fine acting, I found I was able to overlook some of the film's lulls. Worth seeing--particularly if you are looking for something different--and this is very different.

If you are interested, the film is new to DVD and out on Netflix this week.

It's New Year's Eve in London. Martin Sharp (Pierce Brosnan) was a successful TV morning host until an affair with an underage girl and prison time. He goes up to the roof of the Toppers Building to kill himself. He is interrupted by Maureen Thompson (Toni Collette) who waits for her turn. She has the sole caregiver of a disabled son. They are struggling and unstable heart-broken Jess Crichton (Imogen Poots) comes running to jump. Then pizza delivery boy J.J. Maguire (Aaron Paul) appear claiming to be dying from brain cancer. It starts raining and Martin drives the quartet home. Jess comes up with the idea not to kill themselves before the coming Valentine's Day.

The opening is so manufactured that it takes awhile to work it off. The audience has to surrender to its premise. It needs to be more of a truly dark comedy. Imogen Poots takes full advantage with her performance. She really gets to stretch out. Brosnan is fine. Collette is reserved. Aaron Paul needs to be weirder. In a group of dysfunction, he functions too well. It's not until the end that he lets go. Then there is the jarring tone changes. Just as it gets comfortable with a direction, it takes a sharp turn. I don't know much about the Nick Hornby novel but maybe it works better on the page.