ST. VINCENT (8 out of 10) Directed and Written by Ted Melfi; Starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Jaeden Lieberher, Chris O’Dowd, Terrence Howard; Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including sexual content, alcohol and tobacco use, and for language. In limited release October 17, expanding nationwide October 24. 102 minutes.
“St. Vincent” may be the best performance Bill Murray has given in years. And that is the reason to watch this movie. Layered and complex, he’s the classic curmudgeon in the vein of Walter Mathau. And as the story moves along, we find out the reasons he is the way he is. Murray brings pathos and empathy to this character, even while we cringe as he engages in anti-social or self destructive behavior.
He’s backed up by an amazing supporting cast, specifically Melissa McCarthy, who plays a newly divorced mother who finds herself stuck leaving her son with her new neighbor Vincent. It’s good to see McCarthy break out of her “dirty bird” schtick that’s been wearing thin from Bridesmaids, The Heat, and most recently the nearly-unwatchable Tammy. Instead she’s sympathetic, real, and can match Murray blow-for-blow when it’s time to dish out the insults.
Naomi Watts also does a great job here as Daka, a pregnant stripper whose Russian accent is fairly spot on. Speaking of accents, Murray also pulls off some great characterization here with a muted, working-class Irish-tilted New York accent. Watts mostly provides comic relief, but also ends up contributing a lot of heart to the film.
And then, of course, there’s the kid, Oliver, played by newcomer Jaeden Lieberher. This film wouldn’t work without his earnestness, and he does a great job here. He also channels the awkwardness we all remember of pre-teen feeling like we don’t fit in, especially as the small kid at a new Catholic school when he claims his family is “Jewish, I think.” While the ending scene of him extolling the virtues of his gruff neighbor as a candidate for sainthood is a little too pat (and I don’t feel this is a spoiler in any sense, because you can see this coming from miles away– even from the title), he mostly pulls it off, although the script often relies on us believing that he is far wiser and more mature than a normal ten year old would be.
All of these characters go on their own journey, each has their own character arc, and each comes out different at the end. There’s a lot of emotional heartstrings that are going to be pulled in this movie, so if you’re not ready to cry a little and then almost immediately recoil in disgust at Vincent’s behavior, this may not be for you.
But overall, this is one of the best-acted films of the year so far, and it’s almost surprising that it is being released now rather than closer to Oscar season. Bill Murray could certainly be nominated for his work here, depending on what else we see in the coming weeks.
8 out of 10
Official synopsis: In ST. VINCENT, Maggie (Melissa McCarthy), a single mother, moves into a new home in Brooklyn with her 12-year old son, Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher). Forced to work long hours, she has no choice but to leave Oliver in the care of their new neighbor, Vincent (Bill Murray), a retired curmudgeon with a penchant for alcohol and gambling. An odd friendship soon blossoms between the improbable pair. Together with a pregnant stripper named Daka (Naomi Watts), Vincent brings Oliver along on all the stops that make up his daily routine – the race track, a strip club, and the local dive bar. Vincent helps Oliver grow to become a man, while Oliver begins to see in Vincent something that no one else is able to: a misunderstood man with a good heart.
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Note: Our screening also played the short film “Market Hours” before the main feature. This was a fun short about an introspective, misunderstood security guard at a Los Angeles open air market. Fun performances, nicely shot, and a nice little story. There’s a fun action sequence where he chases a lost dog at the end that is worth the time invested alone. Make sure you get to the theater on time to catch this as well.