St. Vincent (film)

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St. Vincent
File:St Vincent poster.jpg
Teaser poster
Directed by Theodore Melfi
Produced by <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Written by Theodore Melfi
Starring <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Music by Theodore Shapiro
Cinematography John Lindley
Edited by <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Production
company
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  • Chernin Entertainment
  • Crescendo Productions
Distributed by The Weinstein Company
Release dates
 <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • September 5, 2014 (2014-09-05) (Toronto International Film Festival)
  • October 24, 2014 (2014-10-24) (United States)
Running time
 102 minutes[1]
Country United States
Language English
Budget $13 million[2]
Box office $54.8 million[3]

St. Vincent is a 2014 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Theodore Melfi, making his "theatrical feature film debut."[4] The film stars Bill Murray as the title character and features Jaeden Lieberher, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd, and Naomi Watts.

The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival where it was voted second runner-up as "People's Choice Award for Best Film."[5] It received a limited theatrical release on October 10, 2014, and expanded to a wide release on October 24.[6] The same day, it was released on Netflix in France.[7]

Plot

Vincent MacKenna (Bill Murray) is a Vietnam War veteran and retiree living in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. He is a grumpy alcoholic who smokes and gambles regularly. His wife, Sandy (Donna Mitchell), developed Alzheimer's Disease years ago and can no longer recognize him, but he still does her laundry at a nursing home where she lives and visits her weekly, posing as a doctor. Vincent's only other close friends are a pregnant Eastern European sex worker named Daka (Naomi Watts) and his cat, Felix. He owes many people money. Despite his aggressive attitude toward strangers, Vincent does have acquaintances who admire and care about him.

Vincent's 30-year-old Chrysler Lebaron gets damaged by a tree branch felled by his new neighbors' moving van. Maggie Bronstein (Melissa McCarthy) and her 12-year-old son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) meet Vincent, who demands payment for the damage. Maggie is a single mother fighting for custody after her husband had several affairs. She is a medical technician doing her best to provide for Oliver, who is ostracised and bullied at his Catholic school, but is a knowledgeable and friendly boy, welcomed warmly by his new teacher (Chris O'Dowd). On his first day at his school, Oliver's phone, wallet and house keys are stolen from his gym locker. Oliver asks Vincent if he can stay at his home until his mother comes home from work. Vincent offers to continue babysitting for a fee.

Vincent picks up Oliver every day after school because Maggie often has to work late hours. Vincent's ideas of after-school activities involve visits to racetracks and bars. The mismatched pair begin to help each other mature. Vincent teaches Oliver how to defend himself, resulting in Oliver breaking the bully's nose. The two soon become best friends. Vincent and Oliver win a lucky bet at the track, enabling Vincent to pay off some of his debts. But he gambles away the rest of his money, hoping to make more to keep Sandy in her nursing home, where he is behind on payments. Vincent is confronted in his home by loan sharks Zucko (Terrence Howard) and Antwan (James Andrew O'Connor), who attempt to take Sandy's jewelry. Vincent suffers a stroke and Zucko and Antwan leave him on the floor.

Vincent now needs hospitalization and physical therapy. Oliver, Maggie and Daka help Vincent to recover. He becomes irritable and depressed after finding out that his wife has died while he was hospitalized, due to the nursing home being unable to reach him. Oliver's father (Scott Adsit), a lawyer, finds out where Vincent has been taking the boy and uses this to get joint custody with supervision. Vincent is told that he can no longer see Oliver. The boy won't give up on him, choosing Vincent as his hero for a "Saints Among Us" project for his school. He interviews everyone who knows Vincent and compiles his life story, volunteering Vincent as his saint. Daka has her baby and the film ends with all of them at Vincent's house, happily eating together.

Cast

Production

The screenplay was written in 2011 by Melfi, and was included on the Hollywood Black List (the best unproduced scripts) of 2011.[8][9]

Jack Nicholson was rumored to star in the film, but Murray signed on in July 2012.[10] On March 11, 2013, Melissa McCarthy was offered the lead female part and joined the cast.[11] On March 22, Chris O'Dowd joined the cast as a Catholic priest.[12] Naomi Watts joined the cast on April 22 in the role of a Russian prostitute.[13] On July 19, Scott Adsit joined the cast to play McCarthy's character's ex-husband.[14]

Filming

Filming began the first week of July 2013, with scenes filmed in Brooklyn, New York[15][16] and at Belmont Park in Elmont, Long Island, New York.[17]

Music

On December 26, 2013, Theodore Shapiro was hired to score the film.[18] Sony Classical Records released the soundtrack album on October 27, 2014.[19][20]

Marketing

The first official trailer for the film was released on July 1, 2014.[21]

Release

The Weinstein Company released the film on October 10, 2014,[22] in limited engagements, before making an expansion into wide release on October 24, 2014.

Reception

St. Vincent received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 77%, based on 165 reviews, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The consensus reads, "St. Vincent offers the considerable pleasure of seeing Bill Murray back in funny form, but drifts into dangerously sentimental territory along the way."[23] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 64 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[24] On CinemaScore, audiences gave the film an average grade of "A-" on an A+ to F scale.[25]

Richard Roeper gave the film a grade of an A, saying Murray's performance could "mean a Golden Globe."[26]

Accolades

List of accolades received by St. Vincent
Year Award Category Recipients Result
2014 Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award Theodore Melfi Nominated
Masters Award 3rd Place
Chicago International Film Festival Audience Choice Award Nominated
Heartland Film Festival Truly Moving Picture Award Theodore Melfi Won
Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards Best Supporting Actress Melissa McCarthy Runner-Up
Best Picture Theodore Melfi Nominated
Best Director Theodore Melfi Nominated
Washington D.C. Film Critics Association Best Youth Performance Jaeden Lieberher Nominated
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards Youth in Film Jaeden Lieberher Won
St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards Best Comedy Theodore Melfi Nominated
2015 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress Naomi Watts Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Performance by a Youth- Male Jaeden Lieberher Won
Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy Theodore Melfi Nominated
Best Actor- Musical or Comedy Bill Murray Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics' Association Awards Best Comedy Theodore Melfi Nominated
Best Actor in a Comedy Bill Murray Nominated
Best Actress in a Comedy Melissa McCarthy Nominated
Best Young Actor/Actress Jaeden Lieberher Nominated
Casting Society of America[27] Studio or Independent Comedy Laura Rosenthal Nominated
Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards[28] Best Contemporary Hair Styling in Feature Length Motion Picture Suzy Mazzarese-Allison Nominated
2015 YouReviewers Movie Awards Breakthrough Actor Jaeden Lieberher Pending

References

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External links

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