St. Vincent (2014)

 

Synopsis: Nasty old bastard learns to love again after he must interact with his neighbours….no, that’s the Synopsis for As Good as it Gets….Um… Crotchety old coot develops special bond with young whipper-snapper….no, that’s On Golden Pond. Um…Bill Murray portrays a slobbish couch potato who experiences wild misadventures….no, that’s Broken Flowers. Um… Mysterious reclusive neighbour helps neighbourhood boy fight back against the local bullies….no, that’s The Karate Kid. 

Blurb From the DVD jacket: “With Neighbours Like These, Who Needs Family?”

What Did I Learn?: 1) “Dead” is the oldest you can be / time freezes when you’re dead. 2) You work, you get paid, you drink. 3) Pencil-pushers are spineless. 4) “It is what it is” basically means: “you’re screwed and you shall remain screwed.” 

You Might Like This Movie If: You know that it isn't easy to live next door to a nasty neighbour. 

Really?: 1) Vincent steals all of the money in Oliver’s newly-established bank account, and nothing happens afterwards. 2) It’s nice that Zucko and his hired goon leave Vincent alone after the latter suffers a stroke, but I have to wonder if Zucko still wants his dough. 3) It’s also nice that Oliver is able to form a friendship with his classroom bully. I’m not sure how often that happens in real life, but I had a hard time believing the bully would be able to hold on to Oliver’s smartphone for what - a few weeks - without Oliver’s mom stepping in and demanding that the school get involved. 4) So, wait - Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) is clearly the protagonist, but he gets fifth billing, and doesn’t even appear on the DVD jacket? 5) It’s awfully convenient how Vincent’s wife passes away shortly after he’s hospitalized, and the nursing home doesn’t seem all that eager to collect the money he owes. 

Rating: St. Vincent is an enjoyable, but very dark comedy featuring Bill Murray as an extremely rude older man with a lot of problems. The film is genuinely funny in places, and it ends with an incredibly touching scene where Oliver provides his classmates with a summary of his unusual friend’s life and merits for “sainthood,” but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had seen much of this before, in other films (see: “Synopsis.”). 8/10 stars. 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2170593/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0