Henry Poole Is Here (2008)

Small film - better than most

Briefly, Henry is presented with a series of unexplainable things (as he sees it) and has to decide what he truly believes.

I loved this film - but I like religious and philosphical films. I think they got this film just right and the performances are spot on. May be too slow and thoughtful for some - that is why Die Hard 4 is only a click away (which I also liked).

I am curious what others think of this film after watching it on DVD - presumably a larger audience than those that saw it at the theater (there was one person at the theater when I saw it - and that was me). November 2, 2008

Nothing wrong with sincerity

This movie came out the same week or two as Tropic Thunder, a film that featured several other members of the Frat Pack to which Luke belongs. Once again we see a difference between Luke and the others. Luke is the anti-hipster, often preferring sincere works that don't debase people. I am an Atheist but found this film to be low-key and charming. It firmly depicts someone suffering from depression who slowly makes a turn for the better. Yes, people may argue over the religious undercurrent of the film, which insults the nihilistic tendencies of young filmgoers, but one can also interpret the film's central theme of as renewal (our ability to change who we are). November 2, 2008

Touching & low-key

Henry Poole (Luke Wilson) returns to the neighborhood where he grew up, wishing only to be left alone. A mysterious stain on the wall of his house becomes the catalyst for several unexplainable events, among them Henry's reconnection to the world.

I really had no idea what this movie was about going in. It's a quiet, gentle film with appealing characters whose message of faith creeps in rather subtly. Being a nonbeliever, I might not have gone to this film if I had known about the Christian, specifically Catholic, subtext, but I'm glad I did. Director Mark Pellington and writer Albert Torres do not hit us over the head with a message, but rather present a story in which faith means different things to different characters, and we are not forced to accept one interpretation as correct. This is a very touching, low-key film.
October 8, 2008

The dead Poole?

Henry Poole thinks he is gonna die...
The movie has other ideas about his future.
Faith can change things?
Having a future is better than the alternative. September 15, 2008

Leaves you thinking

In some ways, HENRY POOLE IS HERE reminded me of CONTACT that starred Jodie Foster and Matthew McConnaughey. Both films dealt with the difference between faith and science. In CONTACT, McConnaughey, who portrayed a minister, asked Foster, who portrayed a scientist, "Do you love your father?" Foster replied, "Yes." McConnaughey said, "Prove it." Foster was unable to give a concrete answer because you can't prove your love for or faith in someone. That's pretty much how I interpreted HENRY POOLE. It's not a question whether you believe in God or not because there are no concrete answers to prove it one way or the other. It comes down to whether you just feel it or not. Just like whether you love your father or mother. You just feel it or you don't. One of the few films from Hollywood this year that I found thought-provoking. August 28, 2008

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