Henry Poole is Here

Movie: Henry Poole Is Here
Like/Don't Like: Um...it was alright...I guess I liked it...but it wasn't what I was expecting.

I was expecting something else. I was expecting this description from Netflix:

Rather than living his last days to the fullest after learning he only has
six weeks left on earth, Henry Poole (Luke Wilson) cuts himself off from his
fiancée and his family -- and binges on Twinkies, pizza and liquor. But a
fortuitous miracle and a clash with his eccentric, meddling neighbors derail
Henry's plans in director Mark Pellington's witty black
comedy. Cheryl Hines and George Lopez also star.

I was expecting a "witty black comedy". It is neither witty, nor black, nor a comedy. There is also neither a fiancee nor a family. There are meddling neighbors. And a fortuitous miracle. But it was the witty black comedy I was wanting. It was slow in both pace and filming, because like all good low-budget indies it was full of scenes in slow motion. I'm a fast losing my patience with slow motion.

But it wasn't bad once I got over the lack of comedy and speed. The story was alright and it was filmed in one of those cities south of LA, like Norwalk or Downey or Lakewood, because all the houses had those tell-tale sloping eaves that make them look like elfin cottages that were so popular in those cities back in the 50s and 60s. They warm my heart.

And, I'm going to give it away, the fortuitous miracle is a water mark on the side of a house that looks like Jesus' face. And you know how much I love a good holy visitation.