A subtle dry humor is infused in to this deliberately paced indie drama about a man who wrestles with his changing direction in life. No matter how much Henry wants to be left alone a series of funny and quirky interactions with neighbors keeps him plugged in to humanity. The process he goes through to be at peace with this fact results in a story that is as dramatic and impactful as it is witty and heartfelt.
Luke Wilson is a great fit for the quiet thoughtful role he portrays in the film. The romantic interest, Radha Mitchell is a pleasing and cheery addition, as is Adriana Barrazza (nozy neighbor), and Morgan Lily (little neighbor girl), and Rachel Sieferth (grocery girl). A brief cameo from George Lopez is disappointing.
The movie is a bit slow moving, but it does reward you if you stick to it with some good old fashioned introspection inspired drama and dialog. A bit edgy in its dealing with religion and faith. Not much in the way of special effects, the dreary neighborhood setting actually works in the story’s favor (as it did to the filmmaker’s budget).
Regarding BrianSez’s Review
Interesting. I saw snippets of this movie on a plane a few months ago and couldn’t get into it. But I recall being very tired at the time, so figured I wasn’t giving it a fair viewing.
Now I see a favorable review from a trusted reviewer and an endorsement from another member. Guess I ought to give this picture a second chance.
Henry Poole is great film if you are looking for a break from typical Hollywood. It was such a great story about a real life guy who was struggling with his faith and accepting it. This is something that I’ve been struggling with myself for the past couple of years. It was such an encouragement to see this played out. And it’s really cool that I’ve found a site, http://www.henrypoolebelieves.com. Right now it looks like they are giving away 10 copies of the movie for free. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, or even if you have, you could always give it to a friend, but it’s definitely worth checking out! GREAT film for a FAMILY movie night!