Two-time Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson has come a long way since he burst on to our TV screens in 1985 as Woody the nice-but-dim innocent barman in Cheers. Now at 55 years old he seems to have inherited fellow actor Bill Murray’s mantle for usually playing eccentric crotchety loners who are always several steps out of sync with the rest of the world.
This latest curmudgeon that Harrelson plays to the hilt is Wilson. We are never ever sure if this is his first or last name, or in fact what he actually does in the way of work to put food on the table for him and his wire-haired terrier. Having neither any social skills or any filter at all, he has the habit of invading total stranger’s spaces whether they are sitting alone at a coffee bar, or are the only other passenger in an otherwise empty train.
He has been living alone since his wife left him 17 years, and then when his elderly father dies of cancer, Wilson realizes that he has neither any friends or family in the entire world. His attempt to re-enter the dating scene ends badly when he rear ends a random stranger’s car in order to get her phone number. It does however attract the attention of another loner who introduces him to internet searching which in turn enables him to track down his ex-wife.
Pippi (Laura Dern) has had what can only be politely described as a ‘rather colorful life’ but she is now clean and sober is going ‘straight’ working as a waitress and is initially far from thrilled at seeing Wilson again. He does however use his odd charm on her and as she is still quite vulnerable, ends up back at his apartment. Next morning as Wilson reminisces how life could have turned out if Pippi hadn’t left him or had the abortion at that time, when she drops the bombshell that actually she went full-term with the pregnancy and had the baby adopted.
When Wilson tracks down Claire (Isabella Amara) the daughter, rather than going through the correct channels, he and a somewhat reluctant Pippi stalk the rather unhappy chubby teenager, and then try and form some sort of bond with her. However it all goes horribly wrong and Wilson ends up in a maximum security prison after being found guilty of ‘kidnapping’ and Pippi deserts him once again.
Based on a graphic novel by Daniel Clowes (who also wrote Ghost World) this very gentle comedy-of-sorts is a wonderful vehicle for Harrelson who positive shines in the role and his ‘Wilson’ can charm the pants even of hardened criminals in jail. However the story is very uneven throughout and there are several parts that totally lack authenticity. Such as Dern as Pippi who even though she is a reluctant part of this attempt to form some sort of bond with her daughter, there is still zero chemistry between the two women which doesn’t sit right. Claire’s relationship with her unseen wealthy adopted parents is derisively dismissed at the beginning, then suddenly at the end their relationship is hailed as near perfect.
On the plus side there are some great supporting role performances from the likes of Judy Greer, Cheryl Hines and the ever wonderful Margo Martindale. That aside, the main complaint of which, what should be said for the most part is an entertaining movie, is that director Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins) seems very unsure of how much of it should be played for laughs and how much should be taken seriously. That’s a decision which we end up having to make for ourselves.
