Wilson

In 1944, legendary Hollywood producer Daryl F. Zanuck made a movie called "Wilson", a biopic about our highly educated, dignified and visionary 28th President – and the film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. 2017's "Wilson" (R, 1:34) is NOT a remake of that film. Not even a little. The more recent "Wilson" is also not a spin-off of "Cast Away". The title character in 2017's "Wilson" doesn't have any of the qualities of that President who led us through World War I and who established the forerunner of the United Nations (except maybe for… honesty). And this Wilson has much more personality that Tom Hanks' famous volleyball buddy. This Wilson is more like a less volatile cousin of Michael Douglas' character in 1993's "Falling Down"… and is like a half-brother to Bill Murray's character in 2014's "St. Vincent". But, notwithstanding those cinematic comparisons, "Wilson", as portrayed by Woody Harrelson, is an original and unique character and one who I wish I could be like… sometimes.

Wilson is a lonely middle-aged man with a lot of faults, but he doesn't mean any harm. Wilson is honest… to a fault. He's impulsive… to a fault. He's even empathetic… to… well, you get the point. You see, it's Wilson's world and we're just living in it. He'll stop a stranger walking her dog, talk only to the dog – in a cutesy animal voice – and then act confused when the woman yanks her dog away and looks at Wilson like he's a weirdo. Wilson will ride a virtually empty train, sit right next to a businessman wearing earbuds, interrogate him about his life and not feel the least bit uncomfortable when the man forcefully asks Wilson to go sit somewhere else. Wilson is also the kind of person who will go visit an old friend in hopes of renewing their relationship but then change his mind and calmly tell his friend that he had forgotten what a joyless and unkind person his friend really is. But in spite of all this, the most important thing to know about Wilson is that he just wants to be loved… on his own terms, of course.

One fine day, Wilson decides to go looking for his ex-wife, Pippi (Laura Dern). He remembers Pippi as basically a crack whore – and that's how he describes her to everyone he encounters who he thinks might know her. With the help of Pippi's very WASPy sister (Cheryl Hines), Wilson is able to track Pippi down to her waitress job, where she is using a different name, but is still kind of a mess. Pippi is none too happy to see Wilson – or to endure the problems that his presence causes for her at work – but she still falls right back into bed with him. That's when she reveals that she had Wilson's baby sixteen years before and put her up for adoption. Wilson is beyond excited that he's a father and talks Pippi into coming with him to find their daughter, a surly, heavy-set girl named Claire (Isabella Amara). Claire lives with upper-middle-class adopted parents who neglect her… but she's still not thrilled to meet and be stalked by Wilson and Pippi. Nevertheless, Wilson is thrilled to have an "instant family" and won't give up on Pippi or Claire. And with a man like Wilson driving this train… what could possibly go wrong?? "Wilson" is wonderfully crude, funny and heart-felt. Wilson acts like we all wish we could act… sometimes. Personally, I envy his fearlessness and his ability to be himself and not care what other people think. Of course, he's also a jerk, he knows it and he doesn't care, so that part… not quite as admirable. In adapting his own innovative graphic novel of the same name, American cartoonist Daniel Clowes gives us a fully-drawn character who never really changes who he is as a person, but who still manages some growth. As directed by Craig Johnson ("The Skeleton Twins") and starring the versatile Harrelson, we get a fully realized character who is equal parts funny and obnoxious, but who still comes off as sympathetic. Besides the usual great work by the star, Dern gives a transformative performance and Amara shines in her most significant role to date. Margo Martindale, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Brett Gelman and (especially) Judy Greer contribute strong supporting performances. "Wilson" is an enjoyable foray into an uninhibited mind – and a reminder why we wouldn't really want to live that way. "A-"

'WILSON': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A comedy-drama, based on the 2010 graphic novel (of the same name) by Daniel Clowes (who also wrote the screenplay). The film was directed by Craig Johnson, who also helmed the 2014 indie hit 'THE SKELETON TWINS', and it stars Woody Harrelson (in the title role). The movie tells the story of a lonely, neurotic and extremely honest middle-aged man, named Wilson, who goes looking for his teenage daughter, after just discovering he had one. Laura Dern, Judy Greer and Isabella Amara also costar in the movie. It's received a limited indie theatrical release at the Box Office, and it's gotten mostly mediocre reviews from critics. I also found the film to be far from perfect, but it's also at least somewhat entertaining and insightful.

Wilson (Harrelson) is a lonely middle-aged man, who's lived alone most of his life. He's neurotic, and he's also uncomfortably open, and honest, with almost everyone he meets; which causes most people to distance themselves from him. Wilson was briefly married, to another mentally unstable, and now drug addicted, woman named Pippi (Dern). Pippi and Wilson conceived a child together, years earlier, but Wilson was told the baby was aborted. When he finds out the child was born, and she's now living with adoptive parents nearby, he feels the obsessive need to meet her (Amara).

I've never read the graphic novel that the film is based on, but I did enjoy the quirky 2001 cult classic 'GHOST WORLD'; which Clowes also wrote the screenplay to (and the comic book it was based on). I do really like the Wilson character though, and I can really relate to him in many ways (but definitely not in every way). I think Harrelson does an outstanding job portraying him too, and the movie is quite involving because of it. It's a little too unbalanced though, to highly recommend it; it's just way too dark at times, in comparison to it's otherwise upbeat nature.

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Before i decided to watch this movie i read some IMDb reviews. It was a mixed bunch and i wanted to see it because i believed in the positive ones. Now that i have seen it, i can say they were totally right.

Wilson is the story of an ordinary man who doesn't really want to take part in our modern society, mainly because of technology taking away social interactions. The movie does well in showing us the perverted lifestyle we developed because of technologies and capitalism. It made me think about these topics a lot and even affected me personally.I shed quiet a lot of tears, i was cought off guard by the movie and that is something i do not experience a lot.

I would not describe this movie as a pure comedy, for me it is like 60% Drama and 40% comedy. In my opinion Wilson deserves a way higher rating.

Not sure why this movie would even be considered a comedy, when in fact it had a very surreal flow to the story. I love movies like this because in the world in my head, I would love to be unfiltered like Woody was, with a heart of gold and speak my mind and, not have to worry about how other people my feel. Especially with my dickhead employer. For me this was a nice dramadey, and I don't agree with the other reviews about Harrelson not be able to save this film. In my opinion I loved his character and the rest of the cast. For a man to find out he has a child giving up to adoption and then trying to build a relationship with her, and for the child not to have a built up resentment towards their biological parents, is a very powerful message of relationship on the big screen. I have a on going visitation battle right now with my ex-wife from hell, and I swear, I'm fighting everyday to keep the relationship between me and my daughter alive. So to all you reviewers who didn't like Woody's role. I'm sorry this movie spoke volume to me. And to all you mothers and fathers out there that are not in your child's life they way you should be, Its time to really step up and man up....Great film

Miscast or something. I felt awkward watching it. Neither of the leads seemed even vaguely realistic nor did the plot. It was all trying too hard. I hated everything about it right down to Harrelson saying the name Pippi.