A disillusioned man (Luke Wilson) goes into hiding in placid suburbia only to discover he cannot escape the forces of hope.
His life turned upside down by circumstances beyond his control, Henry Poole (Luke Wilson) returns to the middle class neighborhood where he grew up, hoping to find some peace and solitude. But Henry's solo retreat is disrupted by a trio of female neighbors: a well-meaning busybody named Esperenza (Adriana Barraza), who drops by with a plate of homemade tamales and a whole lot of questions; solemn eight-year-old Millie (Morgan Lily), who hasn't spoken a word in the years since her parent's break-up, but who surreptitiously records neighborhood chatter and plays it back—often at the most inopportune moments—and her mother, Dawn (Radha Mitchell), the beautiful young divorcee next door who sparks unexpected tenderness in Henry.
When Esperenza discovers a stain on Henry's stucco wall that appears to have miraculous powers, the irrepressible optimist begins leading pilgrimages to the "holy site" and invites church officials, including her pastor, Father Salazar (George Lopez), to inspect the apparition. Inspired by her convictions, the faithful who gather there begin to report inexplicable events, which they attribute to the wondrous powers of the wall.
As the miracle-seeking crowd in his backyard grows and his silent friendship with Millie brings him closer to Dawn, a skeptical Henry is irresistibly drawn back into the world he has tried to leave behind. Gradually he begins to observe the miracle of hope, and then experiences its healing powers first hand.
Well, with a free pass from my radio station and based on the recent ads I thought it would be light and entertaining. I must agree with the official Ebert & Roper reveiw - "incredibly low key." In fact, it felt like a short story that was stretched into a feature-length film. Sure it was a well-written story, but without any extra filler...just a lot of slow well-filmed empty spaces - presumably mimicing the emptiness in Henry's heart. Although I became engaged with the characters, there just wasn't enough movie to go around.
This movie is seriously wicked! I'm not a follower of the Christian doctrine, but I still liked it!!! Luke Wilson's performance is very touching, and so is everyone else's. It's a slow movie but worth the rental. I highly recommend it to everyone.
A good flick to watch!!! I was impressed compared to how I tjought the movie would turn
out. Look for more of my reviews.
E.B.A.