It is easy to
imagine how this adaptation of Pete Dexter’s novel might have been made into a
dark comedy under the guidance of more experienced filmmakers, such as the Coen
brothers, but actor turned first-time director John Slattery (“Mad Men”)
presents the story in a way that hits the same bleak notes from start to
finish. Regardless of how captivating the veteran cast may be, it becomes
difficult to imagine the reasons for forcing the characters to endure such
hardship, or the meaning that the audience is meant to take away from the
experience. As enjoyable as individual sequences may be, the overall result of God’s Pocket feels more trouble than its
worth.
Taking place in
the gritty, blue-collar neighborhood of God’s Pocket, PA, two men who are
forever deemed outsiders attempt to navigate their way through a degradingly
depressing existence. Mickey Scarpato leads a two-bit criminal existence,
accepting amongst the locals to a degree because of his marriage to a resident
(Christina Hendricks), while a local columnist, alcoholic and minor celebrity
Richard Shellburn (Richard Jenkins) makes God’s Pocket his latest topic of
choice. Both lead somewhat parasitic existences, which are brought together by
an ‘incident’ at a construction site which results in the death of Mickey’s
step-son, Leon (Caleb Landry Jones).
The film is
mostly a series of unfortunate events, a majority of which seem to occur only
to Mickey. Despite his nefarious attitude towards the law and moral decency, Mickey
doesn’t seem to be reaping any rewards. Instead, he struggles to find the means
to bury Leon
The DVD special
features include a commentary track with Slattery, who bit off more than he
could chew with the role of director, producer and co-writer. There are also
deleted scenes and a trailer gallery.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6.5/10
Historical
Significance: 6/10
No comments:
Post a Comment