ST. VINCENT : Thursday 12th February 2015.

This film was released in Australia on Boxing Day last year and it has taken me this long to see 'ST. VINCENT', but it was worth the wait I'd have to say! Directed by Theodore Melfi and made for US$13M it has so far made US$53M as at 3rd February, and this dramedy has garnered five award wins and another seventeen nominations including two Golden Globes for Best Film and Best Lead for it's starring Actor, Bill Murray.





This story introduces us to sixty-something old curmudgeon Vincent (Bill Murray), living in some down beat house in a Brooklyn back street, all on his lonesome and seemingly very happy with his lot. He drinks a lot, smokes a lot, eats not much, is shabbily dressed, bets money he can ill afford at the racetrack, is in debt, smooches about and listens to all his favourite tunes of yesteryear on his Walkman tape deck seemingly without a care in the world or any hangers on except his cat - that eats better than he does! We are quickly introduced to Russian Daka (his once a week physical contact with the opposite sex) who is a 'lady of the night' as she is later described, heavily pregnant and played by an almost unrecognisable Naomi Watts. She flits in and out of his life frequently, even in between 'turns' as though she is part of the furniture, and it's never fully confirmed if she is the girlfriend and if the baby she is carrying is his - although he is there every step of the way for her.

One day a new neighbour turns up with young son in tow. Mother Maggie (Melissa McCarthy, playing it down) is going through a bitter divorce and moves in right next door with Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) who introduce themselves when the removalist truck they have rented backs into a tree knocks down a heavy branch and it lands on the bonnet of Vincent's car. He is none too pleased, and so the relationship begins. Maggie works as a hospital assistant and when expected to work back late one afternoon has no one to care for young Oliver after school and so it's Vincent very reluctantly to the rescue - begrudgingly and only for a small fee of $11 an hour . . . always the opportunist too it seems!

As time progresses Vincent's becomes the paid babysitter, and in time the two, young and old, form an unlikely bond. Vincent takes Oliver to the racetrack, to his local Bar, feeds him a sushi dinner at home (sardines straight from the tin, and crackers), and teaches him to defend himself against the bully at school. All of this of course is going on in isolation to Mum Maggie, who is clueless about the relationship that is unfolding. We come to learn more of Vincent's 'secret' past through the people that the pair come into contact with - his time spent in Vietnam, his sick wife in a nearby nursing home, Daka dropping in and out, and various others all on the periphery of his life.

It's an engaging story, but of course it's not all good for the two new friends! There is the inevitable parting of the waves when the two fall out and Mum comes to learn of what Vincent has been exposing young Oliver too as it plays out in a custody scene in court. But, what goes around comes around as Oliver's teacher - God fearing and down to earth Catholic Priest Brother Geraghty (Chris O'Dowd) tasks his young pupils with writing a story of a person they have contact with on why they should qualify for a Sainthood. The school class is given two weeks in which to do their research and then present their nominees on stage at school in front of gathered parents, friends and school staff.

Young Oliver secretly nominates Vincent and begins to research his past with the people he has come to meet through their friendship. It seems there is much more to Vincent than anyone really knows, and this beer swilling, cigarette chewing, cantankerous, opinionated, lazy loud guy who has seen a fair share of tragedy in his own life, must be more saintly than we realise.

There are some laugh out loud moments in this film, particularly at the beginning as things begin to ramp up and we get to know Vincent. It then sinks into some melodramatic moments before the final tear jerking emotional final chapter when all is good in the world and the stars align for Vincent, his new family and his new neighbours. It's a feel good film and Bill Murray gives a good turn playing Bill Murray as you would imagine him to be when he's not acting for a living! Given that this has been on general release now for about six weeks or so, you can catch it soon on DVD and BluRay and it's worth it for a night in and a film of human frailty, and a dose of heart and humour.

  
-Steve, at Odeon Online-