People who are inherently good don't always do the right thing. The person who inspires you the most might gamble, pay for the company of a woman, and have a mouth that's filthier than a sailor's... but the few good things that a person does can speak volumes about the true character that lies hidden underneath. This movie is a wonderful embodiment and showcase of that reminder that we should never judge a book by its cover, no matter how roughly hewn it may appear to be and that the strongest friendships can form amongst the most unlikeliest of people.
In a nutshell, young Oliver and his newly single mom Maggie (played by Melissa McCarthy) move to a new neighborhood and have the (mis)fortune of being the new neighbors of Vincent (played by Bill Murray), an aging boozer with money problems, a few attitude problems, and a general disregard for a certain quality of life for himself. Thanks to Maggie's demanding job, Vincent ends up agreeing to babysit Oliver for a couple of bucks an hour after school and despite Vincent's cynicism and utter disregard or consideration for almost every other human being, Oliver actually enjoys spending time with Vincent and his cat. Vincent, however, just does the bare minimum to keep the kid alive. As the two spend more time together, a bond forms and they discover that the other has impacted his life more than they'd realized.
Expect lots of giggles from the effervescent Bill Murray, who effortlessly proves why he's such a lovable and in-demand actor even after so many years. However, if you're looking for surprise twists in the plot, prepare to be disappointed because this film was designed to be a predictable feel-good movie with a happy ending from the get go. What you can expect though, are plenty of chuckles that ultimately culminate in tears as the movie moves into the predictable turnaround moment where everything that's wrong in the world becomes right once again.
Aside from Bill Murray's Vincent, another character to look out for is Naomi Watts's memorable Daka Parimova, Vincent's "lady of the night" whom he might or might not have gotten knocked up. Some might say her take on the Russian prostitute might have been a little over the top but the whole point of the movie is to be over the top -- Vincent lives life recklessly and does as he pleases as the mood strikes him, which often gets him into trouble with all sorts of people. At some point in the movie, you'll discover why he's allowed himself to sink to varying levels of low and you will get an idea of what exactly it is that he's trying to distract himself from with his reckless and irresponsible antics.
In a nutshell, young Oliver and his newly single mom Maggie (played by Melissa McCarthy) move to a new neighborhood and have the (mis)fortune of being the new neighbors of Vincent (played by Bill Murray), an aging boozer with money problems, a few attitude problems, and a general disregard for a certain quality of life for himself. Thanks to Maggie's demanding job, Vincent ends up agreeing to babysit Oliver for a couple of bucks an hour after school and despite Vincent's cynicism and utter disregard or consideration for almost every other human being, Oliver actually enjoys spending time with Vincent and his cat. Vincent, however, just does the bare minimum to keep the kid alive. As the two spend more time together, a bond forms and they discover that the other has impacted his life more than they'd realized.
Expect lots of giggles from the effervescent Bill Murray, who effortlessly proves why he's such a lovable and in-demand actor even after so many years. However, if you're looking for surprise twists in the plot, prepare to be disappointed because this film was designed to be a predictable feel-good movie with a happy ending from the get go. What you can expect though, are plenty of chuckles that ultimately culminate in tears as the movie moves into the predictable turnaround moment where everything that's wrong in the world becomes right once again.
Aside from Bill Murray's Vincent, another character to look out for is Naomi Watts's memorable Daka Parimova, Vincent's "lady of the night" whom he might or might not have gotten knocked up. Some might say her take on the Russian prostitute might have been a little over the top but the whole point of the movie is to be over the top -- Vincent lives life recklessly and does as he pleases as the mood strikes him, which often gets him into trouble with all sorts of people. At some point in the movie, you'll discover why he's allowed himself to sink to varying levels of low and you will get an idea of what exactly it is that he's trying to distract himself from with his reckless and irresponsible antics.