Written and Directed by Theodore Melfi, this is a funny and enjoyable film.
Vincent (Bill Murray) is having a rough time. He is broke, depressed, an alcoholic, and a compulsive gambler. His bookie is threatening to beat him up if he doesn’t pay what he owes soon. His only friend is a prostitute, Daka, (Naomi Watts) with whom he has a standing weekly appointment. He is sarcastic and pushes people away.
Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) and her son, Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher), move in next door. Maggie is divorced and barely making ends meet. She has put Oliver in an expensive private school but needs to work considerable overtime to pay for the tuition. Vincent desperately needs money, so he agrees to baby sit Oliver (who is about 12) in the afternoons after school ends.
The film is about how the relationship between Vincent and Oliver evolves and has a positive effect on both, despite Vincent’s considerable character flaws.
The film has a predictable, feel-good, warm and toasty, Hollywood ending but it still worked for me.
Murray gives an AWW performance, and Watts and Lieberher are terrific, too. (McCarthy has only a small role.)
The movie will work fine as a rental, but it is good enough to see on the BS.
Rating-8.0 – very good movie, but not quite a MUST SEE.
Dave
