Last Chance Harvey, which stars Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman, is about disappointment, regret and hope. The film sets up a believable, emotionally real and potentially powerful story, but in the end it loses critical momentum and feels vaguely lost. Dustin Hoffman is Harvey, a man in late middle age, whose career is spinning down, on his way to his daughter's wedding in London - a daughter whom he really doesn't know. Harvey has a chance meeting with Kate (Thompson) a middle-aged woman who is struggling with being alone and looking for fulfillment. Their lives become intertwined through the course of just a few days, with London as the backdrop of their conversations.In terms of filmmaking, I enjoyed the warm colors and musing, instrumental score of this film, and when there were picturesque shots of London they took advantage of them (although some of the key scenes take place in fairly nondescript locations). The cinematography felt removed from the interactions between the two main characters, as if the audience were one of the bystanders in the public places where they talk. This style may or may not have been intentional, but I'm not sure that the effect is a good one. However, the acting compensates and draws us in.There are two points where the movie falls down. The first is not that important, but still worth mentioning: have we really not had enough of the fun-yet-wacky-montage-where-someone-tries-on-42-dresses? Really? I can't believe Thompson went through with it. The other element is much more important to the film. Without spoiling the plot, an element of tension is introduced that is designed to create a bit of an Affair to Remember motif. But that's just it - it feels exactly like a device, something you've already seen before, many times. Up until that point the story is strong, believable and engaging. But at that moment it missteps - it feels contrived, formulaic, manipulative, and the resolution and ending just don't seem to recover.Having said all of that, I'd still say it's worth a rental, if only for Thompson and Hoffman's acting. They're only confined by the writing, and even so they both earned Golden Globe nominations for their performances. Thompson has been one of my favorite actors for a long time, and Hoffman (whose acting I respect even though I find him to be quirky and inconsistent in his performances) seems to embody this role. There is enough in Last Chance Harvey to enjoy and take meaning from, that even with the stumbling third act I recommend watching it once if the subject matter appeals to you.