St. Vincent (2014) Directed by Theodore Melfi. Starring: Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Jaeden Lieberher. IMDB says: “A young boy whose parents just divorced finds an unlikely friend and mentor in the misanthropic, bawdy, hedonistic, war veteran who lives next door.”
St. Vincent stars Bill Murray as Vincent, a rude and obnoxious loner who spends his days gambling and his nights drinking. Melissa McCarthy plays his new neighbor, Maggie. She is a recently divorced mother who is trying to make her new life work, but is having trouble getting her feet on the ground. Because of this, her son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) ends up at Vincent’s house after school while she works late. The arrangement is convenient, so they give it a shot.
The story is something you’ve probably seen before. Vincent is a guy that no one really likes until a kid he doesn’t really like starts to see the good in him. Even though the story is predictable, the movie takes some turns along the way that make it feel fresh. The movie pushes the envelope slightly with its comedy and the characters are above average. If you get a little bored with the plot the actors should keep the film interesting.
The cast is really well rounded. Both Murray and McCarthy are really great in it. Naomi Watts is also good, but her role is odd. She plays a Russian stripper and it feels a little schlocky, but not necessarily out of place in the movie. First time actor Jaeden Lieberher did well handling everything his role required. Chris O’Dowd plays a witty Catholic School teacher at Oliver’s new school. His role is small, but he is very funny. 30 Rock‘s Scott Adsit plays Oliver’s father, but I honestly don’t think he had any lines. Terrance Howard plays a bookie who Vincent owes some money. He plays the part well and is an interesting choice, but the role is sparse. There’s a lot of familiar faces to pop up throughout but the main three actors really hold it together.
Overall, St. Vincent is a solid feel-good comedy that does well mostly because of the cast. It is nice to see Bill Murray in a starring role after his last few appearances have been more like cameos. And while the writing is familiar, it doesn’t get in the way of the good parts that the film has to offer.
