For reasons we don’t initially understand, Henry Poole is a sad, angry man. But that’s not stopping him from buying a house… even though it’s not really the house he preferred. All he really wants is to be left alone with his thoughts. And his vodka and Krispy Kreme donuts.  His neighbors, however, have different ideas. Especially once a stain that some say resembles the face of Jesus appears on the side of his house. Sound a little quirky? Well, that pretty much sums up Henry Poole Is Here.

One park dark comedy, one part heartstring-tugging drama, one part music video… the latest film from director /executive producer Mark Pellington and writer Albert Torres is a hard film to characterize. While it deals with religious themes such as miraculous apparitions, it’s not really a film about religion. It’s more accurate to say that the film deals with loss and hope… and lack of hope, though even that doesn’t completely capture the terrain that Henry Poole Is Here explores.

At the head of the cast is Luke Wilson in the title role. Best known for his comedic outings, this part is something a bit different for him and he has a chance to show off his drama chops. He’s got something of an understated presence on the screen, but the man can clearly act. It’s easy to like Wilson in this role.

Henry’s neighbor Esperanza is played by Academy Award-nominated actor Adriana Barraza. It is Esperanza who discovers the stain on the side of Henry’s house and begins challenging Henry to be open to the possibility of miraculous happenings, much to his dismay. Barraza manages to take a role that could be a major annoyance and produces a genuinely endearing character.

On the other side of Henry are single mom Dawn—played by Radha Mitchell—and her young daughter Millie, played by newcomer Morgan Lily. Mitchell has a strong career as a dramatic actress behind her and does nothing to disappoint here. The real surprise is young Lily, who turns in a stellar performance. Her character Millie appears to be mute, choosing to stop speaking at the moment when her father walked out of her life.

Rounding out the main cast is comedian George Lopez as Father Salazar, an interesting non-comedic role, and Rachel Seiferth as Patience, the clerk at the neighborhood grocery store who is drawn into the events at Henry Poole’s house.

So with an interesting and quirky story and a top notch cast, does Henry Poole Is Here manage to deliver the goods? The answer I think is decidedly maybe… depending on the individual moviegoer. Issues of religion and faith can be polarizing. Some folks will likely think this film is too religious while others will dislike it because it’s not religious enough. I can’t tell you which end of the spectrum you might fall on.

What I can tell you is that this is a film that doesn’t try to preach to you, or at you. It doesn’t try to sell you a particular set of beliefs or tell you what you should or shouldn’t feel. It uses religious themes as a springboard to go deeper and take look at the relationships between people. In the end, it seems to ask the question “Does it matter if it’s really a miracle as long as lives experience positive change?” And to its credit, Henry Poole Is Here leaves the answer up to you.

I liked it; you might like it, too.

Henry Poole Is Here is rated PG for “thematic elements and some language.” While nothing here is overtly offensive, anything touching on religion has the potential to rub some the wrong way unintentionally.

Courtesy of a local publicist, Michael attended a press screening of Henry Poole Is Here.