St. Vincent (DVD): Review

The Film

St. Vincent, a story about a grumpy old man, Vincent (Bill Murry), a Vietnam veteran and his new neighbours, Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) and Oliver (Jaden Lieberher).

Vincent doesn’t like kids, he doesn’t like people. Most people don’t like him. He spends a lot of his time with “a lady of the night” (Daka, played by Naomi Watts). He smokes, drinks and gambles. Yet, through a series of events, he has young Oliver thrust upon him, and becomes his after-school babysitter.

There is no need for any of the characters to try be funny in St. Vincent. The perils of every day life are humour enough. Watching Vincent’s attempts to get out of his gambling debts, seeing poor Oliver trying to fit in at a new school. There’s plenty of humour (although sometimes a bit dry, and a bit dark). There are also a lot of heartfelt moments, as each comes into their own.

The cast deliver excellent performances. They are well cast, and totally suited to their characters. The story is intelligent, funny, and in many ways, very heart warming. St. Vincent is bound to put a smile on anyone’s face.

Murry brings his usual flair to his role as Vincent, and his mastery of the slightly off-centre humour he does so well. McCarthy can often be over the top with her roles, but is very well suited to the dramatic. And finally, an almost unrecognisable Watts, letting herself go to be come Daka.

This is defiantly a film that will appeal to many, and be enjoyed by all.

Disc And Bonus Features

As with nearly all discs these days, this one is encoded at a high bitrate, meaning there are no visible artefacts on screen. It could be scaled up to a larger screen, or higher resolution via hardware or software if desired.

Sound is provided in a 5.1 surround track, and while its use does add to the ambience of the film, and helps draw the viewer in that little bit more, the subject matter and nature of the story don’t really lend themselves to much use of the surrounds.

There are unfortunately no bonus features on the disc.

St. Vincent is available now, to purchase on disc, in South Africa.

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb

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