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Henry Poole is Here
Overture Films


7.5

based on 25 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 10 votes
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MPAA RATING: PG for thematic elements and some language

Starring Luke Wilson, Radha Mitchell, Adriana Barraza, George Lopez, Cheryl Hines, Rachel Seiferth, and Morgan Lily

A disillusioned man goes into hiding in placid suburbia only to discover he cannot escape the forces of hope. (Overture Films)

GENRE(S):	Comedy \| Drama
WRITTEN BY:	Albert Torres
DIRECTED BY:	Mark Pellington
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: November 4, 2008 Theatrical: August 15, 2008
RUNNING TIME:	minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Achieves something that is uncommonly difficult. It is a spiritual movie with the power to emotionally touch believers, agnostics and atheists -- in that descending order, I suspect.

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

The biggest hole in this picture is not so much whether an audience will buy its miracles but whether an audience will care about Henry Poole. Wilson hits the same notes in virtually every scene without any change to his physical rhythms or moods.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

This may sound like a satiric comedy, and its intriguing setup carries a faintly comedic tone, but the movie becomes more straight-faced as it moves along and ends up being a fairly serious examination on the nature of, and necessity for, faith.

New York Post Linda Stasi

Sappy and corny, but there are a few lovely moments.

Miami Herald Connie Ogle

A large part of the movie's appeal can be attributed to Wilson, more dour than he's been in ages and yet more interesting, too.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

If inciting boredom is the worst sin a filmmaker can commit, being timid is right behind it. Whether I agree with your point of view or not, I want to hear it.

Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow

To Pellington's credit, the performers eschew sentimentality.

San Francisco Chronicle Reyhan Harmanci

A strange and thoughtful little movie.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

It's less a tale of religious rebirth than a faith-based Hallmark card.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

This contrived situation leads to a debate over the power of faith.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jason Anderson

While his sincerity is admirable, Pellington is reluctant to offer any ideas that are more theologically complex than 'Faith is valuable' and 'Life is for living.'

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

Handsomely photographed by Eric Schmidt and nicely underplayed by the actors, the film relies too much on its jukebox soundtrack to convey mood.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

Henry Poole cycles through so many indie film clichés--that it continually skirts self-parody.

Variety Robert Koehler

Picture's tendency to lecture on the power of faith and religion and on the demerits of science seems to assume an almost childlike audience that needs to be spoon-fed Pablum.

Village Voice Tim Grierson

A film that could have used some of the genuine intrigue of Pellington's thrillers to help offset the increasingly doe-eyed narrative.

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

Unfortunately it’s all a bit dull.

Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer

Some touching moments, but too blandly inspirational.

USA Today Claudia Puig

The film has some amusing moments and can be intriguing when it focuses on the slow transformation of a hopeless, faithless man.

Los Angeles Times Robert Abele

Though not strictly a religious tract, Henry Poole Is Here is undeniably selling spiritual reawakening. If only its makers believed that aesthetically useful adage: God is in the details.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

It's easy to see how a film so unafraid of religious touchstones could become a phenomenon among the faithful. Nonbelievers, however, need not apply.

Portland Oregonian Marc Mohan

Every so often there's a tabloid news story about the Virgin Mary seen in a piece of toast or Mother Teresa on a tortilla, and most of us equate them with Elvis sightings. This film is for the rest.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

The film's spiritual deck is stacked. In the mawkish tradition of movies like "Simon Birch," "Wide Awake," "August Rush" and "Hearts in Atlantis," Henry Poole Is Here is insufferable hokum that takes itself very, very seriously.

Washington Post Philip Kennicott

A not-quite-funny comedy that devolves into a tedious discussion of miracles and redemption.

Austin Chronicle Josh Rosenblatt

All that's missing from the director's new vision of the world is the pipe organ and the choir of angels.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

Manages a fairly rare trick: It's a movie that's both deeply felt and completely phony.

The average user rating for this movie is 7.5 (out of 10) based on 10 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Gupta A gave it a0:
Painful to watch. Just painful!

Chad S. gave it a7:
Some would argue that BYU athletics enjoy a competitive advantage when the NCAA sanctions the religious prerogative of these Cougar jocks to take two-year missions for the Mormon church. Upon returning from their athletic sabbatical, Provo's opponents face a bigger, stronger, and older adversary; the byproduct of entitlement that allows pious folks to operate under different rules without penalty. As it stands, Henry Poole(Luke Wilson) is quite miffed about this loophole. Trespassing means something else entirely, stripped of its unlawful reputation, if you believe in God like Esperenza(Adriana Barranza), who trespasses in her neighbor's yard because it's God's yard now. God's cashier, a girl named Patience(Rachel Seferth) quotes philosopher/activist Noam Chomsky, who said that "we choose to believe what we want to believe," which perfectly encapsulates the filmmaker's objectivity towards religious expression. "Henry Poole is Here" is a Christian movie, but only if you choose to construe the fortunate circumstances that befall the film's characters as bonafide miracles. Henry is never converted, nor does "Henry Poole is Here" try to convert the audience. This even-handed film also makes the point that all alleged miracles can be logically explained away.

Christi M. gave it an8:
Very poignant and touching movie about hope and the power of love.

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Henry Poole is Here Overture Films

Henry Poole is Here
Overture Films