Bill Murray back in enjoyable "St. Vincent" film
by sam
Bill  Murray steps out of his m any earlier characters as Vincent MacKenna in "St. Vincent." It's no surprise tha he turns in what may be the performance of his career as a grouchy old man, drinking away and playing the horses.And in a surprise role that doesn't reefer to  her size, Melissa McCarthy as Maggie Bronstein shows that she's more than a figure of fun in a straight serious mom.
They are aided by Naomi Watts as Daka, a once dancer and close friend of Vincent. She's attractive and carries the plot along skillfully.
Also on hand is Jaeden Lieberher as Oliver, Maggie's son, the middle of a custody battle.
This improbable movie, made at a time when young adults are the key audience in Hollywood, plays to all levels, from pre-teens to seniors, and perhaps especially for seniors as Vincent is a case history in aging, where a stroke is a common peril.
Film opens in Brooklyn with a moving van hitting a tree of Vincent's as Maggie and Jaeden move next door. It quickly develops that Maggie has to work at a hospital and needs a babysitter. Who better than Vincent?
More complexities as Vincent visits his wife in an assisted living facility, posing as a doctor. She  is demented and serenely beautiful but not identified.
Vincent is tough on the kid and teaches him how to fight as well as enjoy bars and the horses at Belmont.
A tied between Vincent and the boy is inevitable and it develops slowly. Yes, there is sentimentality now and then but mostly it keep such emotional malarky as a distance.
The scenes where Vincent is felled by a stroke are realistic and  man seniors will be able to empathize with the condition.
There are sidetracks in the plot and Daka, who has been sleeping with Vincent, has a baby. She continues to rule in Vincent's household.
This is an entertaining movie, no computer generated images, just old Brooklyn scenes and Belmont horses.
This is such good film that it's sad that the slack horror flick "Ouija" is much  more popular at the box office.


Cast
• Bill Murray[7] as Vincent MacKenna
• Melissa McCarthy[8] as Maggie Bronstein
• Jaeden Lieberher as Oliver Bronstein
• Naomi Watts[9] as Daka
• Chris O'Dowd[10] as Brother Geraghty
• Kimberly Quinn as Ana
• Terrence Howard as Zucko
• Ray Iannicelli as Roger
• Scott Adsit[11] as David
•
• Directed by
• Theodore Melfi
• Produced by
• Fred Roos
• Jenno Topping
• Peter Chernin
• Theodore Melfi
• Written by
• Theodore Melfi
• Starring
• Bill Murray
• Melissa McCarthy
• Chris O'Dowd
• Naomi Watts
• Jaeden Lieberher
• Music by
• Theodore Shapiro
• Cinematography
• John Lindley
• Edited by
• Sarah Flack
• Peter Teschner

• Running time
• 102 minutes[1]