Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
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 lives and dies by Bill Murray's magnetic, career-highlight performance — his sardonic, tender portrayal of Vincent elevates material that is otherwise a fairly familiar odd-couple/mentor story. The plot hits predictable beats (gruff loner softened by innocent child, redemption arc, tearjerker reveal about hidden virtue), and the cinematography is functional at best, never distinguishing itself visually. The ending, while emotionally effective thanks to Murray, leans heavily on sentiment in a way that feels slightly calculated. Novelty is low because the premise is well-worn territory — the curmudgeon-finds-heart story has been told many times without significant reinvention here. Acting across the board is strong (Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Jaeden Martell all contribute), but Murray is the unambiguous reason to watch.