As you might have guessed, I am probably William Macy's biggest fan and he's soon to be the next actor of which I'll have rated 50 movies with him because he has mostly played supporting roles with other known actors and actresses. But even in the rare instances where he is the lead, he shines because of his charisma and likeable appearence. And when I saw this, I was left speechless by his performance alone.
Charles Gigot (Macy) is a deaf and mute owner of a ramshackle building that lives alone with his pet monkey that carries everywhere even tho in some places like bars he ends up being shooed away because of his pet. One day he meets Lou (Keke Palmer), a young girl that lives with her mother Arlene and her boyfriend: one night Gigot notices two thugs looking for the couple and without knowing it he causes a diversion that allows the couple to escape and Arlene leaves Lou to Gigot's care for unspecified time because of the issues. At first Gigot and Lou can't stand each other because of their attitudes. After a while Gigot looks for Arlene and after finding her house he finds out that she is a crack addict, and things get more complicated when he is robbed and has to perform a sideshow with the monkey and Lou for having money for the bus tickets. After all this events, Gigot and Lou will finally bond like a father-daugher and Gigot will not only stop drinking but help Lou in her education after finding out that she is illiterate. But one day, Social Services reclaim Lou because Arlene has died of an overdose and Gigot becomes desperate and tries every solution for helping Lou: making a marriage proposal to his friend Gloria (Catherine O'Hara) but it's refused, visiting his parents that he hasn't seen in 28 years only to find that his mother died and his father (Ned Beatty) remarried and he resents him, On Christmas day Gigot tries to make it fresh throwing his wool cap in the river, and when he goes in a church he starts crying only to return in his apartment and finding his father and stepmother waiting for him at his apartment, and father and son embrace and accept to restart their relationship. Gigot then finds Lou in juvenile hall and makes it clear to adopt her. The movie then moves a year later with Gigot that works in his father's business and picks Lou from school where she has become excellent: the two drive off together laughing, happy to have finally found peace.
The main reason for watching this is simply Macy's performance. Yes, he can't talk but you can really see that he put body and soul for playing such a character: and you as the viewer will feel his emotions and pain. Keke Palmer is great too proving that is not necessary for a child actor to be annoying, and the monkey gave great support (too bad they had to kill her, but it often happens to animal characters in movies). And there were so many sad moments that when Gigot and Lou reunited I felt uplifted and ready to cry from joy.
So, if you stumble upon it don't miss it for all the aforementioned reasons but I must warn you that some Kleenex are needed especially towards the end.
Charles Gigot (Macy) is a deaf and mute owner of a ramshackle building that lives alone with his pet monkey that carries everywhere even tho in some places like bars he ends up being shooed away because of his pet. One day he meets Lou (Keke Palmer), a young girl that lives with her mother Arlene and her boyfriend: one night Gigot notices two thugs looking for the couple and without knowing it he causes a diversion that allows the couple to escape and Arlene leaves Lou to Gigot's care for unspecified time because of the issues. At first Gigot and Lou can't stand each other because of their attitudes. After a while Gigot looks for Arlene and after finding her house he finds out that she is a crack addict, and things get more complicated when he is robbed and has to perform a sideshow with the monkey and Lou for having money for the bus tickets. After all this events, Gigot and Lou will finally bond like a father-daugher and Gigot will not only stop drinking but help Lou in her education after finding out that she is illiterate. But one day, Social Services reclaim Lou because Arlene has died of an overdose and Gigot becomes desperate and tries every solution for helping Lou: making a marriage proposal to his friend Gloria (Catherine O'Hara) but it's refused, visiting his parents that he hasn't seen in 28 years only to find that his mother died and his father (Ned Beatty) remarried and he resents him, On Christmas day Gigot tries to make it fresh throwing his wool cap in the river, and when he goes in a church he starts crying only to return in his apartment and finding his father and stepmother waiting for him at his apartment, and father and son embrace and accept to restart their relationship. Gigot then finds Lou in juvenile hall and makes it clear to adopt her. The movie then moves a year later with Gigot that works in his father's business and picks Lou from school where she has become excellent: the two drive off together laughing, happy to have finally found peace.
The main reason for watching this is simply Macy's performance. Yes, he can't talk but you can really see that he put body and soul for playing such a character: and you as the viewer will feel his emotions and pain. Keke Palmer is great too proving that is not necessary for a child actor to be annoying, and the monkey gave great support (too bad they had to kill her, but it often happens to animal characters in movies). And there were so many sad moments that when Gigot and Lou reunited I felt uplifted and ready to cry from joy.
So, if you stumble upon it don't miss it for all the aforementioned reasons but I must warn you that some Kleenex are needed especially towards the end.