St. Vincent is a slow-burning movie, but not every film needs to be fast-paced. Before TikTok ruined everyone's attention span, people could sit back and appreciate a story taking its time. Just don't watch this one lying in bed with the lights off, or you will almost certainly fall asleep and have to restart it the next day.
If you can lock into a patient narrative, this film is fantastic. The slow burn is precisely what sucks you in. There are no crazy action sequences or overly expensive set pieces, just raw, grounded emotion that pulls you deeper into the story as it unfolds. The filmmakers also did a great job setting the overall energy and atmosphere of the setting.
Jaeden Martell, who played young Oliver, did an incredible job alongside Bill Murray. His performance brought genuine emotion to the screen, making the bond between a cynical older neighbor and an isolated kid feel entirely natural.
It is probably not a movie for young kids since it deals with adult themes, gambling, and substance use. However, by today's standards, those inappropriate elements are handled with as much modesty as possible without stripping away from the realism of the story.
At its core, this story forces you to look inward and rethink how flawed we all are as humans. It shows that everyone is carrying pain under the surface; some of us are just better at hiding it than others. The world would be a much brighter place if we learned to love people right where they are at.
Ultimately, St. Vincent is an amazing character study. I rank this movie a 4 out of 5 stars.
My Rating: 4 / 5 Stars