"It is what it is." That seems to be everyone's favorite phrase when they have to talk to Vincent MacKenna (Bill Murray). Vincent is a cantankerous old man who spends all his money on trips to the racetracks and jaunts with his favorite Russian prostitute, Daka (Naomi Watts), whose pregnant belly is scaring away her usual clientele. Vincent takes every moment as an opportunity to make some extra cash: when a moving truck hits a tree in his yard and causes a branch to fall on his car, he complains to the new neighbors, Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) and her 12-year old son, Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher), telling them they'll need to pay up... even though the majority of the damage was actually done the night before, when he drunkenly backed his car into his own fence.
Maggie and Oliver have enough problems of their own, let alone having to pay for property damage. Maggie has to pick up extra hours at work to pay for her recent divorce, not to mention making up for the lack of child support from her ex-husband. She wants Oliver to have a good education, so she enrolls him in a Catholic school, despite the fact that they're Jewish (allowing for some delightful scenes featuring Chris O'Dowd as the witty Catholic priest who teaches Oliver's class). But scrawny, delicate Oliver is having trouble adjusting at his new school, surrounded by kids who continually pick on him. And to make matters worse, Maggie can't always finish work in time to pick Oliver up from school, which means that Oliver is in desperate need of a babysitter.
And so begins the incredibly unorthodox relationship between Vincent and Oliver. This is probably the only moment I couldn't help but roll my eyes: maybe it's just me, but a twelve-year old needing a babysitter -- especially a twelve-year old as responsible as Oliver -- seems a little bit of a stretch, but some kind of ball needs to be rolled to get this film going, so there you have it. After demanding payment, Vincent agrees to babysit, but does not agree to alter his lifestyle... he takes Oliver to the tracks and to the bar; he introduces Oliver to Daka, and teaches him how to fight. But bit by bit, as Oliver and Vincent begin to bond, we begin to see an unexpected side of this old crochety man.
If it sounds like this story has been told a thousand times before, it's probably because it has, but that didn't stop writer/director Theodore Melfi from breathing new life into this recycled idea. Most crotchety old men in stories are just nasty until they connect with someone... But Vincent is nasty regardless. What makes him different from any old Ebeneezer Scrooge or Melvin Udall is that he doesn't like people... but he cares about them. And for that, I applaud Melfi: he doesn't take the easy way out and give us a miserable character who does one good deed and gets a pat on the back, but instead gives us a miserable character who still somehow manages to be worthy of... well, of the conclusion to this film.
The performances in this film are fantastic. Murray plays one of his most complex characters yet, and handles some delicate situations with care. McCarthy takes a break from her more aggressive roles, and the effect is refreshing... she gives a genuine and heartfelt performance. Lieberher will win your heart, in his first feature role no less. And Watts and O'Dowd, though in supporting roles, certainly contribute their own flare to the film.
While ST. VINCENT probably won't make quite a large enough wave to rock the Oscar boat, it is still a fun and heartwarming film. This is definitely something you want to check out. It is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!
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