The Humbling - C

Rated R, 102 minutes
Wes's Grade: C

Pacino's great in "The Humbling" but can't overcome plot's familiarities

"The Humbling" is a rather odd name for a dark, character-driven comedy, but then it's an odd film too. A well-acted dramedy, "The Humbling" is also too predictable and too familiar, in spite of a great cast and director. Over-the-hill stage actor Simon Axler (Al Pacino) struggles to find his passion for life again physically and mentally. Near his breaking point, he finds motivation in the form of a young and lustful lesbian Pegeen Stapleford (Greta Gerwig), but as their relationship heats up Simon has a hard time keeping up with the youthful Pegeen. Directed by Oscar-winner Barry Levinson and written by Buck Henry and Michal Zebede and based on Philip Roth's 2009 novel of the same name, "The Humbling" is a well-acted but uneven and often flat, dark dramedy that's made better by Pacino's solid, believable performance as the washed-up actor who doesn't often know what's going around him. Problematic is the fact that his predictable romance with indie queen Gerwig, who is also good here, is slightly creepy (it's so tiring to see the much older man/younger woman romance), and the fact that some plot points, including the strange ending, aren't well handled. The solid supporting cast helps keep it moving along, including strong turns from Dan Hedaya and Dianne Wiest as Pegeen's befuddled but bitter parents, and Charles Grodin, stealing scenes as Pacino's nervous agent. "The Humbling's" biggest error is that Oscar-winner Levinson, the talented director of such acclaimed films as "Rainman" and "Wag the Dog," mishandles the material and doesn't seem to be a good fit, only touching the surface of some of the novel's more serious aspects (such as Simon's struggle with dementia) and not fully exploring its characters. "The Humbling" isn't an awful movie, just a calculated one that you've seen before and won't likely want to see again.