St Vincent

Warning: if you haven't seen this, there may be spoilers. You've been warned.

In a surprisingly serious role, Melissa McCarthy plays a newly divorced single mother, who moves in next door to the rough-edged, miserly Vincent (played by Bill Murray).

Vincent is not a nice guy, and he doesn't appear to be a very kind or friendly person. Unfortunately Maggie (McCarthy) has to work off shifts as a nurse at the hospital, so she occasionally has to leave her son, Oliver, in the care of Vincent. They have some odd experiences, as Vincent exposes Oliver to things that a child probably shouldn't know or see. However, Oliver also realizes that Vincent is not such a terrible man. He is actually a kind man in his own right, but he doesn't seem to want people to know that. Oliver, however, does see it. He meets Daka, a prostitute (or "lady of the night") whom Vincent has taken a liking to. But Daka is pregnant, and it is unclear whether it is Vincent's child, although it does not appear to be. Yet he puts all of his time and money into taking care of her. Oliver then sees that everything he knows about Vincent is a result of the fact that the man's wife is fading away in a home and rarely recognizes him.

Both families face their ups and downs, but in the end it is about finding the good in everyone.

Brilliantly moving, and surprising all the way through. Sometimes extremely cute with an air of family, but definitely not appropriate for children. There is a reason this movie was so renowned upon release. If you haven't seen it or weren't sure if it was worth it, I recommend it. Full of laughs, tears, and smiles.