Once in a while, you go to the movies and actually feel like a better person on the way home. That’s how Travis Tindell felt after watching “Henry Poole is Here.”
Henry Poole (Luke Wilson) is a quiet, single man seeking a home where he can be left alone. His world is disrupted when his nosy neighbor, Esperanza (Adriana Barraza), discovers the face of Jesus on his wall outside.
Poole relentlessly maintains that the Jesus image is simply a poor stucco job, but Esperanza is so entranced that she alerts the neighborhood and her church and brings people in droves to touch the healing face. Even Father Salazar (George Lopez) welcomes the possibility of a miraculous face.
Poole lives a miserable existence until his neighbor Dawn (Radha Mitchell) and her daughter take an active interest in his life. It becomes more difficult to connect with them, however, when he refuses to accept the image as something more.
Director Mark Pellington accomplishes something that every movie should, delivering an important message that lets you come to your own conclusion: We can choose to believe in miracles around us, or we can denounce them as chance.
Sometimes people need something to believe in, whether it’s the face of Jesus or just a botched repair job. Belief in something such as this can relieve our pain.
Pellington’s filmmaking is fresh and down-to-earth. “Poole” is real and comedic, greatly reminiscent of Marc Forster’s “Stranger than Fiction.” Wilson is a troubled, yet honest and lovable guy, who he plays well.
The neighborhood cast is perfect, and supermarket clerk Patience (Rachel Seiferth) is the shining light of the movie. The image on the wall impacts the lives of myriad people in the town, and they all make a difference in Poole’s life.
It is good to see a well-made movie without a second agenda. “Poole” is a great pick for those looking for a movie that means something. Unfortunately, you may have to go out of your way to see it — Carmike is showing “Disaster Movie” instead.
Loading ...
All Articles