“Manglehorn” (2014,
David Gordon Green) gives us Al Pacino in another lonesome role, this time as a
somewhat schizoid loner grandpa who runs a locksmith shop in Texas and lives
alone with his cat. He does relate
reasonably well with emergency customers, as shown in an early scene with a car
lockout and a child inside.
He hasn’t gotten over his obsession with a lost female love,
and has a stack of “return to sender” letters.
Pathetic, perhaps. He meets a bank teller Dawn (Holly Hunter) who will
be confused when he dines wirh her but talks about the old girl friend (a
no-no). But his son Jacob (Chris
Messina) is a go-getter, who has mastered the “always be closing” salesmanship
of pressuring and manipulating customers. (Remember “The
100 Mile Rule”?)
The plot develops as the cat gets sick (from swallowing one of the locksmith's keys) and needs surgery,
forcing Manglehorn to spend most of his savings. Jacob takes him to lunch, and Manglehorn acts
put down. But later Jacob gets in
trouble with the fibbies, has his assets frozen, and needs to turn to dear old
Dad, who has nothing. Despite his reticence, Manglehorn is challenged to act like a grandad. Yet it was the outgoing son who lacked moral compass. The cat starts to become more of a character toward the end, too.
The official site is here. (IFC)
The film is available from Netflix or can be rented on
YouTube for $3.99
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