Dreadfully Boring

A Disappointing Continuation

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Like a Bukowski poem set to music and sung by Tom Waits, a rancid, deep dark comedy of errors in an urban hell. An amazing ensemble of great actors. Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro, Richard Jenkins, Eddie Marsan and many more of some of the finest drunks and lowlifes you'll see on film. Christina Hendricks, unfortunately, is out of place and out-skilled. The script walks with a limp and probably has a disease.

It's the working class neighborhood called God's Pocket by its inhabitants. Mickey Scarpato (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is married to Jeanie (Christina Hendricks) and living with her loudmouth son Leon. He and Arthur Capezio (John Turturro) work for Sal Cappi (Domenick Lombardozzi) to hijack trucks. Mickey is too annoying and gets killed. Everybody lies that it's a work accident. Jeanie refuses to let it go. Drunken faded reporter Richard Shelburn (Richard Jenkins) reluctantly takes the story.I sense that there is a compelling story to be filmed but this doesn't have the style. It wants to have a hard edge but that only occurs intermittently. Director John Slattery is able to get some great actors and probably called in a few favors. They are wasted in a film that lacks a sense of a place. Mostly, it lacks intensity. And it's not funny despite attempts at some dark humor. It's just flat.

I really enjoyed this film. It's a nice slow moving piece with colourful characters living their daily lives in their colourful neighborhood. It's indeed mainly quite a sad story about people that are bogged down in their routines and lifestyles, but it's also kind of quirky and bleakly funny in it's own tragic way. A simple story of what happened to.. that focuses on the people surrounding the "victim" and all the logistical problems that arise from the fatality.One can't praise Philip Seymour Hoffman enough, for in fact his entire body of work, but this is really the kind of film I like seeing him in. The character he plays fits him so well, it's almost painful to watch. A terrible, terrible loss. I cannot name an actor that would even come close to him.John Turturro is just plain sweet as the "partner in crime". He plays the kind of guy you would like to get to know, he's got something truly endearing. Yes the film is filled with wonderful characters, Richard Jenkins is perfect and probably has the most interesting role as a writer looking for, I guess, his life. Plus he has the privilege of playing some great scenes with the gorgeous Christina Hendricks. It would happen to me too, Mr. Shellburn.. Instantly!A sweet and sour story, a wonderfully acted chunk of daily life in a blue collar neighborhood, a fitting goodbye to a great actor. 8/10

John Slattery's debut as a feature director is a stark, gritty drama. Mickey Scarpato(Philip Seymour Hoffman)is a working stiff in the blue-collar neighborhood of God's Pocket. His wife Jennie(Christina Hendricks is a lifelong resident and her son Leon(Caleb Landry Jones)still lives in the home. Young Leon with his overt racist remarks and general unlikability is murdered in front of a whole construction crew. The entire crew swears his death is a workplace accident. A long time local reporter(Richard Jenkins)is tipped off that something is wrong with how Leon's death has been reported. Mickey struggles to find out the truth himself and relies on his friend Bird(John Turturro), who has some ties with a local gangster(Domenick Lombardozzi), to question the construction crew again about how his step-son Leon met his demise. Some dark humor can be found along with brief disturbing violence.A story of the underbelly of a community that has its share of desperation, hopelessness and deep embedded sadness. Hoffman's sheer bulk and physicality demands ownership of the screen. In God's Pocket, you know your place and damn proud of it. An apt cast that also features: Eddie Marsah, Molly Price, Bill Buell, Jack O'Connell and Bridget Barkan.