In a confounding character portrait, Al Pacino plays elderly Manglehorn, a locksmith who lives alone with his sick cat in a small Texas town. His main passion appears to be writing romantic letters to a loved one he lost years ago, but soon he begins a new friendship with a bank teller played by Holly Hunter. Jittery, downbeat, occasionally surreal character study from director David Gordon Green and screenwriter Paul Brad Logan opens interestingly enough, but the filmmakers don't give their protagonist enough to do. Manglehorn gambles, he works, he eats alone (at a restaurant where the other patrons appear to stare at him),he visits his wealthy "son of a prick" son...all while the camera encircles him, questioningly (the camera-work is busier than Manglehorn). Pacino does what he can here, though at times he appears to have a question mark on his face that shows either an actor's apprehension of the material or a lack of faith in it. *1/2 from ****

Angelo Manglehorn (Al Pacino) is a locksmith in the small town of Crown Rock, Texas. He has some anger management issues and trouble with relationships, primarily because of his lost love Claire. Holly Hunt plays a bank teller who has caught his interest and Chris Messina plays his successful son, and their relationship would be marked as "needs improving."

Manglehorn has created a prison for himself in his mind, trapped by a failed relationship, filled with "return to sender" letters.

This is another bitter-sweet Al Pacino senior citizen drama. It is not a bad film, just void of action.

Guide: No sex or nudity.I don't recall any F-bombs.

Note to self: Don't overly praise a former girlfriend with your current girlfriend.

Al Pacino plays an elderly locksmith in a small Texas town, living alone with his sick cat and writing romantic letters to a loved one he lost years ago, who begins a new friendship with bank teller Holly Hunter. Jittery, downbeat, occasionally somewhat surreal character portrait begins interestingly enough, but soon drops the ball. Director David Gordon Green and screenwriter Paul Brad Logan don't give the protagonist enough to do; he gambles, he works, he eats alone (where the other restaurant patrons appear to stare at him),he visits his wealthy "son of a prick" son...all the while the camera circling him, questioningly (the camera-work is busier than he is). As Manglehorn the locksmith, Pacino fills the bill, though at times he appears to have question marks on his face that show either an apprehension of the material or a lack of faith in it. *1/2 from ****