Manglehorn

"You look great. Like a racehorse." A. J. Manglehorn (Al Pacino)

The above quote is a mixed compliment given to a lovely lady, Dawn (Holly Hunter), on a disastrous date. Manglehorn, a aging locksmith, can't seem to connect with his son, his ex love, really everyone but his cat, who has ingested one of his keys. Manglehorn as film is a drama about the challenges of an old man who just hasn't gotten it right.

The years he has mourned over the loss of his great love, Clara, because he foolishly let her go, seem countless. Each day he writes a letter to her, each day one returns unopened. His life has been reduced to a mess of regrets, a prison if you will from which he does not have the key. Opening others' locked doors is magic, not so with his own life.

Although Manglehorn is the solitary center of the film, those around him are prey to his bitter loneliness. Most lamentable is the way he dismisses the lovely bank clerk, Dawn, with rambling recollections of his lost love—not cool on the first date and not Seinfeldian funny. Just pathetic.

The performances make this small film worth seeing; it's as if the actors rose to Pacino's occasion, knowing the only way to emerge from this film is through good acting with one of film's greatest actors.

Director Joe Gordon Green has a flawless eye for the little details that tell much. In the case of the film's symbols such as the boat and the beehive, maybe too heavy. Yet as a literature lover, I appreciate the many obvious metaphors as a satisfactory attempt by first-time screenwriter Paul Logan to give gravity to an oft-told tale of an aging, lonely man.

For the audience, the film is a complex reminder of the need to approach old age with a light heart and an open one.

David Gordon Green gave us 'Pineapple Express' but he also graced us with 'Prince Avalanche' and let's not forget he got Cage back to his best in 'Joe'. So can he do the same for Al Pacino, in a role specifically written for him, well yes and no. For anyone who has winced at Pacino's career of late I will say that this is one of his better roles but he essentially playing himself, a locksmith called Manglehorn who can't escape his past which won't allow him to live in the present. He spends his days with keys and his night with his cat Fanny and a whole heap of unhealthy memories. Friday he religiously goes to the bank where he meets Dawn (played brilliantly by Holly Hunter)and they start a strange friendship but will it be enough to pull Manglehorn into the now? The story is simple enough and has some truly great moments but there are also a few weird dream sequences that I'm not sure worked as well as they could. The cinematography is great and along with the soundtrack, acting and direction the story of Manglehorn is watchable if not a little long and quite slow paced. Expect a few laughs but it's really a more sombre affair about ageing, memories and living and one that will make you think about life, love and mortality. So 'Pineapple Express' it isn't you have been warned.

Greetings again from the darkness. For those of us who grew up with 1970's cinema, it's been painful to watch Al Pacino's career over the last two decades … with only a couple of exceptions. We have longed for the actor who became Michael Corleone, and cringed with each outing that seemed to parody his Oscar winning performance in A Scent of a Woman (1983). Along comes the latest from director David Gordon Green and with it a reappearance of that actor so worshipped by John Travolta's character in Saturday Night Fever.

A.J. Manglehorn is an elderly locksmith who lives each day under his self-designed cloud of despair. His droopy eyes, droopy shoulders and droopy social skills are eclipsed only by his love for Fanny the cat, and his daily letters to Clara – the long lost love of his life. The only other signs of life in Mr. Manglehorn are displayed when he is telling a customer that it's time to wash their car, when he is hanging out with his granddaughter, or when he is exchanging Friday flirtations with bank teller Dawn (a sparkling Holly Hunter).

Director David Gordon Green is best known for comedies such as Pineapple Express (2008), The Sitter (2011), and TV's "Eastbound & Down", and while this one (filmed in Austin, Texas) has some awkward and offbeat comedic moments, it would have to be categorized as a drama. Symbolism is everywhere as Manglehorn keeps his emotions "locked" away from his snooty yuppie son (Chris Messina) and retreats into his imaginary relationship with Clara, rather than embracing Dawn's brave come-on.

There are a couple of extraordinary scenes … Pacino and Messina talking around, rather than about, their relationship and the type of men they are; and the excruciatingly awkward and heart-breaking first date between Pacino and Hunter. The forlorn Manglehorn remains behind the locked door and allows the shadow of his dream girl to cast a pall, despite having a real life dream girl sitting across the table.

Pacino recaptures his mastery of the close-up. Such emotion from so little apparent movement is the work of a once great master who proves he still has it. Some may be put off by the lack of big action, but these are people living life and trying to make the best of it. There is a line from the movie, "When you choose this life, there is no one". It's a line that tells us so much about Manglehorn's daily approach. Whether he finds the right key matters to us for one reason … Pacino makes us care.

Manglehorn is in essence a small simple story. No CG-I, no huge twists or plot points but rather a amazingly woven story of a lonely man attempting to overcome the loss of his old love. Al Pacino plays a role very different from the norm, hes a sarcastic, sad and sometimes bitter old man who spends his days either alone at his locksmith or mourning over a love that "could have been". Without spoiling anything, Manglehorn our main character slowly learns to love life again with the help of a friend. David Gorden Green does an incredible job at making this simple story pop by making many almost surreal like scenes (Most notably the watermelon scene). There are even scenes that are downright poetic (Scenes sometimes play out as Manglehorn recites a poem in the back, this is better than it may sound). As the story progresses it get quite deep, going into interesting back-stories about Manglehorns family (Mostly about the father and son relationship) and even at times very magical elements are hinted at.

I was lucky enough to see Manglehorn at TIFF this past September. If you get the chance this is a film that needs to be seen.

David Gordon Green's 'Manglehorn' is a strange film, about an unlikely protagonist, whose journey, despite some greatness, is half-baked. Fortunately, the protagonist is played by Thespian Al Pacino, who, with a strong Holly Hunter, leads this uneven tale.

'Manglehorn' Synopsis: Left heartbroken by the woman he loved and lost many years ago, Manglehorn, an eccentric small-town locksmith, tries to start his life over again with the help of a new friend.

'Manglehorn' is about loneliness & regrets. A.J. Manglehorn is a heartbroken, depressed old man, who finds hope in the form of a new friend. And some of it works. Its actually quite a decent watch, but the Writing lags at times. It gets loose & moves a bit too slowly.

Paul Logan's Screenplay isn't without merit, it definitely has a story to tell, but it lags. The protagonist's interactions with his fellow people, aren't always engaging. The best bits are when Manglehorn & his new friend are together. And yet, in totality, the result is uneven. David Gordon Green's Direction is alright. He's done better before. Cinematography is perfect. Editing is ably done.

Performance-Wise: Pacino is magic, yet again! As A.J. Manglehorn, The Acting Epitome, ignites the screen with an effortless, heartfelt performance. Holly Hunter is wonderful. Her scenes with Pacino are the highpoint of this enterprise. Its a delight to watch them.

On the whole, 'Manglehorn' is partly good, partly bland. Nonetheless, Watch it for the acting.