God's Pocket (2014)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: John Slattery

Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro, Christina Hendricks, Richard Jenkins

Running time: 88 minutes

This film is based on the 1983 novel of the same name, written by Pete Dexter. After his stepson is killed in a fight on a job site, a blue collar worker’s life goes on a downward spiral as he tries to find the money he needs to give his wife’s son a proper burial. In the meantime, a reporter comes to town to investigate the murder.

This was Philip Seymour Hoffman’s final film before his untimely death from a drug overdose, and I so wish it was a better one. Hoffman’s performance was good. He looked the part, and it felt real. John Turturro was good too.

I just have to say that I was confused about what the filmmakers were trying to accomplish with this film. By the end of it, it just felt like it all went nowhere. I get that the action is set in a town where nothing ever changes because people always look the other way, but I just feel like there was a lot of untapped potential in this one. It could have been so good, but it was just OK, thanks in large part to a few of the acting performances.

Rating: «««