The crew kicks off Pocket Week with *God's Pocket* and explores whether the film's rough-edged, hyper-local setting works as character drama or just stays grim for grim's sake.
What We Covered
- Whether this was truly one of Philip Seymour Hoffman's final performances/releases
- John Slattery directing, plus the Mad Men crossover cast links
- The opening funeral framing and backfill structure
- Mickey's terrible decision-making spiral (including spending funeral money on a horse)
- The film's violence, cynicism, and lack of clear "good" characters
- Tone issues: bleak drama mixed with moments that feel unintentionally funny
- Community themes: loyalty, outsider distrust, and "closed" neighborhood culture
- Final verdict: moderate recommend
Final Verdict
Moderate recommend — worth watching for Hoffman and atmosphere, but patchy overall.
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