You know that feeling when you're watching a movie and you can just tell the lead actor isn't "acting" so much as they are just existing? That’s basically the vibe of St. Vincent with Bill Murray. It’s been over a decade since this movie hit theaters back in 2014, but honestly, it feels more relevant now than it did then. People tend to lump it into that tired "grumpy old man finds his heart" genre, right next to Gran Torino or A Man Called Otto.
But they're wrong. It’s better than that.
The 800-Number Legend
The story of how this movie even got made is kind of a fever dream. Theodore Melfi, the director, didn’t just call an agent. He couldn’t. Bill Murray famously doesn’t have one. He has a 1-800 number. You call, you leave a message, and you pray to the gods of comedy that he calls you back from a payphone in a rental car weeks later.
Melfi called that number dozens of times. He was obsessed. He had no backup plan. Jack Nicholson had already passed on the role, and Melfi knew it was Murray or bust. Eventually, the phone rang. Murray liked the script but told Melfi they needed to "flip it."
Murray told him: "You write with backspin, and I write with topspin."
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That’s a real quote. It sounds like something a Zen master or a guy who spends way too much time at Pebble Beach would say. He basically took the dialogue and moved lines around until they sounded like a guy who had spent thirty years drinking cheap scotch in a Brooklyn dive bar.
Is Vincent Actually a Saint?
The plot is simple on the surface. Vincent MacKenna is a wreck. He’s a Vietnam veteran who spends his days betting on horses, drinking his bank account into the negatives, and hanging out with a pregnant Russian prostitute named Daka (played by Naomi Watts with an accent that is surprisingly committed).
Then Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) moves in next door. She’s a single mom, stressed out, working long hours at a hospital. Her son Oliver—played by Jaeden Lieberher—needs a sitter. Vincent needs cash.
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It’s a match made in hell.
Vincent takes the kid to the racetrack. He teaches him how to punch a bully. He takes him to a bar. On paper, it’s child endangerment. But if you look closer, Vincent is the only person in Oliver’s life who treats him like a real human being instead of a fragile project.
That Ending Though
The "Saints Among Us" project at Oliver's Catholic school is what gives the movie its title. Most people think the ending is too "saccharine" or "cheesy." I get that. It’s a big, tear-jerker speech in a school gymnasium.
But here’s what people miss: the movie reveals Vincent was a Bronze Star recipient at the Battle of Ia Drang. He’s also been quietly visiting his wife, Sandy, at a high-end nursing home for years, even though she has dementia and doesn't know who he is. He pays for her care with money he doesn't have. He even does her laundry himself so the facility doesn't ruin her clothes.
That’s the "saint" part. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about showing up when it sucks.
Why It Still Holds Up
St. Vincent with Bill Murray worked because it didn't try to make Vincent "nice." Even at the very end, he’s still sitting in his backyard, wearing a dirty tank top, listening to Bob Dylan’s "Shelter from the Storm" on a Walkman while watering a patch of dirt. He’s still a jerk. He’s just a jerk who cares.
The movie was a sleeper hit. It cost about $13 million to make and pulled in over $60 million at the box office. Murray even snagged a Golden Globe nomination for it.
Practical Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you’re going to rewatch it (or see it for the first time), keep an eye on these specifics:
- The Dylan Scene: The end credits feature Murray singing along to Bob Dylan. It wasn't fully scripted to be that long—Murray just kept going, and Melfi kept the cameras rolling.
- The Casting: This was Melissa McCarthy’s first big "serious" role. She’s great because she plays it straight. No pratfalls, no yelling. Just a tired mom.
- The Location: It was filmed in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. It captures a version of New York that feels lived-in and gritty, not the "Sex and the City" version.
What to Do Next
If you want to experience the best of this era of "Late-Stage Murray," here is your roadmap:
- Watch St. Vincent first. Pay attention to the laundry scene—it’s the most important character beat in the film.
- Follow it up with Olive Kitteridge. Murray filmed this around the same time and won an Emmy for it. It pairs perfectly with the cynical-but-tender vibe of Vincent.
- Check out Theodore Melfi’s next film, Hidden Figures. You’ll see how he transitioned from this small, dirty character study to a massive historical epic while keeping the "humanity" intact.
Basically, go watch it again. It’s one of those rare films that actually gets better as you get older and realize that most "saints" in the real world are just flawed people trying not to drown.