St. Vincent

2014  PG-13  COMEDY-DRAMA  1h 42min

CAST— Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Jaeden Lieberher

MUSIC— Theodore Shapiro  DIRECTOR— Theodore Melfi

     Melancholy tale featuring bravura performances all around, particularly by a crusty Bill Murray. He plays Vincent, an all out curmudgeon who lives life with the least amount of human contact as is humanly possible. His new neighbors, a single mother and her son (Melissa McCarthy and Jaeden Lieberher, respectively), see only his grumpy exterior (well, they undoubtedly sense his dour interior, as well). When circumstances call for Murray to care for the boy (strictly by the hour) he introduces the child to his daily routine. Trips to the race track, local bars and strip clubs are seen as the norm. So is caring for his ailing wife, his cat and a pregnant stripper. Murray is seen as alternately callous and caring, cowardly and heroic, as his character deals with life in his own way: the way of the down-trodden fogey. A dramady that has its moments (along with its flaws) but can’t sustain the emotional pull it strives for. The afore-mentioned stellar performances may be all that resonate after viewing. A conflicted character-driven comedy-drama.

OUR RATING— ** ½