Review of Henry Poole Is Here (2008) by Johnathon B — 16 Mar 2009

My 3 star rating obscures how I really feel about this film. I really wanted to love it, and I still think it's a good film, but there are some big points that detract from me absolutely loving it.

Emotionally it is wonderful. I thought Wilson and the other actors did a pretty good job, with an occasionally ham-fisted schmaltzy moment here or there, but not bad. Where the film falls apart, however, is that it tries to be even-keeled with regard to religion, but fails with a couple key plot points that almost necessitate a deus ex machina interpretation.

It's as if it pulled back without really pulling back. I still liked it, but it's more like I liked the film it could have been, rather than the one it came out as. In actuality though, if more overtly Christian films were like this movie, I could stand watching them rather than the next godawful pile that Kirk Cameron foists on believers with too much money.