St. Vincent is a very enjoyable movie. It has its faults, but it’s easy to like. It has a likable cast all around, and only seems flawed when you overanalyze it.
There is some wavering in the depth of Vincent, with his innate traits shifting ever so slightly throughout the movie. Not developing, but wavering. Where the director wants him to be a unpleasant, he’s unpleasant. Where the director wants him to be desperate and lost, he’s desperate and lost, but when he wants Vincent to be confident and responsible, he’s confident and responsible. Maybe it says something about the depth of the character, but I personally think that it’s a small flaw in the script. It’s not enough to dock it a lot of points, but it offsets the overall tone of the film slightly.
But in the end you realize that this movie says more about the Oliver’s empathy and ability to see beauty in the beast. He sees this and wants to share to everyone who Vincent is so that they see him like Oliver sees him. It’s touching and sentimental, but a little manipulative on the director’s part. But I suppose that any sort of complaining regarding this would be too nitpicky–even for me. All this stuff doesn’t make the movie less-than-good, it just makes it not perfect.
The finale is when this film really draws you in and you have no choice to surrender your emotions towards this man who is being honored. Although he hasn’t changed, you’ve changed and you learn to ultimately love him.
Overall, it satisfies our needs and succeeds at its goal of making us give those who are ugly on the outside the benefit of the doubt. It’s a good movie.
The Twizard 