Movie Review Monday: St. Vincent

Welcome to another edition of Movie Review Monday!

This week's film is the 2014 dramatic comedy, St. Vincent, starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, and Naomi Watts.

I stumbled across this movie the other day on Netflix, and it was a decent viewing experience that went in some unexpected directions; some good, some bad. Overall, it is a unique film that is cute and has a lot of heart.

Bill Murray stars as Vincent, who begins to warm up to his new neighbor's child, Oliver, after he starts to babysit for him after school. They get up to some wild adventures, and Vincent helps Oliver feel more at home as his parents are going through a messy divorce. His mom (McCarthy) feels like a very realistic, down to Earth representation of a single working mom. Murray does pretty well in his role too, as does the actor playing Oliver. Watts plays a prostitute and stripper with a heart of gold that Vincent frequents.

There are some twists that I won't spoil here, and those are what worked and didn't work for me at the same time. The movie goes down weird, dark turns but still maintains a positive course towards an ending I think works mostly well. It can't figure out a consistent tone or message, but the climax is definitely satisfying. It is a solidly average movie for me overall.

You can check out St. Vincent for yourself streaming right now on Netflix.

Thanks for stopping by!

Movie Review Monday: Groundhog Day

Welcome to another awesome edition of Movie Review Monday!

This week's movie is the 1993 classic, Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray and written and directed by the late, great Harold Ramis.

I had seen and heard a lot about this movie over the years but I have never sat down and watched the movie in its entirety. I'm glad I could enjoy it finally, as it is a simple movie with a simple message that I think we can all appreciate.

The premise is simple its implementation. We don't get any reason why but nevertheless, Bill Murray's character, Phil, is forced to relive the same day over and over again, which creates a cavalcade of humorous scenarios that he plays out since he'll just wake up with no ramifications. The movie hinges on Murray, and he masterfully carries the film. The premise of reliving the same day over and over again also acknowledges the dark side of this, as Phil continually tries to kill himself to end the perpetual nightmare.

The movie succeeds near the end as Phil begins to do the most good he can for others in a single day. Only when he maximizes the experience for others rather than himself, does the cycle end. Phil begins the movie as a disillusioned, egotistical, and rude character, but ends it as someone who is changed for the better. The moral of the whole story being to encourage us as the viewer to live each day to the fullest and do good for others.

While the premise has become common fodder for storytelling nowadays, this film popularized the concept and is constantly referred to as a benchmark. It earns its place as a classic comedy that will surely stand the test of time.

You can check out Groundhog Day streaming right now on Netflix.

Thanks for stopping by!