MovieChat Forums > Henry Poole Is Here (2008) Discussion > Ebert Gets It Right... Thumbs WAY Up Her...

Ebert Gets It Right... Thumbs WAY Up Here

posted 16 years ago by assman200
17 replies | jump to latest

Roger Ebert cuts through all the cynical BS and rightfully praises a quality film...

"Henry Poole Is Here 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. It doesn't say that religious beliefs are real. It simply says that belief is real. And it's a warm-hearted love story.

I believe the feelings between Henry and Dawn. I care about their tenderness and loneliness. I think Millie is adorable. I think Father Salazar has his head on straight. I love Esperanza's great big heart. And I especially admire the way that Henry sticks to his guns. He doesn't believe there's a face on his stucco, and that's that. And no, he doesn't undergo a deathbed conversion. That's because ... but find out for yourself."

[–] balletmecanique 16 years ago

srsl, cut this movie a break!

No one knows what they are or where they've come from...
-silent hill 2

[–] Bruce7 16 years ago

Agreed. And he is not a Christian.

[–] cleargraphics 16 years ago

Yeah and Richard Roeper said, "See it!" "I embraced this movie."

I'm looking forward to seeing it on DVD!

[–] cdelacroix1 16 years ago

Interesting ... I looked up the review, here it is for anyone wanting to see the whole thing:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080814/REV IEWS/808140303/1023

My own take is that Ebert's positive review is very much on target, except for a few paragraphs when he strays off into trying to figure out this and that about the Image. That part left me scratching my heard, and wondering how a movie critic decides it's time for him to get into a theological or philosophical discussion of a film's content.

But the rest of the review, when it sticks to reviewing the film itself, looked very accurate to me.

Thumbs up, Ebert!

Charles Delacroix

[–] deb0n81r 16 years ago

I've always trusted Ebert far beyond every idiot critic out there.

[–] IronBallsM 9 years ago

I miss Ebert being brought up when everyone talks about new movies.

[–] sturmv 16 years ago

Typical indie style non-indie movie, nothing new. It is pretentious and superficial, of course when you compare it to top 10 big budget mainstream flicks this is "deep". I'd like to see something similar but something that provokes thought since this certainly didn't, it was 2-dimensional.

[–] assman200 13 years ago

There's NOTHING pretentious or superficial here at all. In fact, just the opposite is true.

[–] zz1986 16 years ago

nothing against ebert...he's an institution...but ebert gives everything a thumbs up. it hit me one day when i was checking out stuff on rottentomatoes. i spent like a half hour procastinating trying to find something he didnt give a thumbs up. he gives nearly everything a thumbs up. he didnt give gigli a thumbs up though...i just had to make sure. lol.

[–] johan-248 16 years ago

Feeling like I can't go by Ebert's guidance anymore. If he get a movie this wrong he's either closeted religious or have been demented by watching too many movies. I started fast-forwarding when the annoying girl store clerk with the huge glasses felt like quoting Noam Chomsky. For GODS sake! If Ebert didn't vomit a bit in his mouth there I have no respect for him. If you aim for the stars (no pun intended) why not go all out and quote Karl Marx or Mao instead. We all know the theme of this movie anyway: even the most doubtful will succumb to the all-mighty Jeebus eventually. *beep* me.

[–] jack-crow 16 years ago

Ebert's opinion is overvalued. He is is one critic of many, no more no less. His reviews are solid, often good, but rarely brilliant and as every other reviewer out there he sometimes misses.

[–] assman200 12 years ago

Ebeet has been a crank lately but he was right back on this film.

[–] assman200 13 years ago

Ebert does NOT give thumbs up to everything.

[–] assman200 15 years ago

I still love this movie.