'St. Vincent' Trailer Showcases Bill Murray, and Naomi Watts as a Russian Stripper

Is The Weinstein Company's St. Vincent another chance for Bill Murray to garner awards attention? Or is he making a return to his roots as a comedy leading man?

After The Weinstein Company debuted footage of the movie at Cannes, it drew comparisons to About a Boy and Bad Santa, so we're thinking the latter. Murray plays a hard-drinking, curmudgeonly lout who befriends a young boy. Melissa McCarthy plays the boy's mother, in what looks to be a turn that's somewhat more dramatic for her than her recent work. Perhaps the most interesting thing in the trailer? Naomi Watts playing a Russian stripper.

[Naomi Watts on the set]


The trailer doesn't scream "Oscar contender," but it's coming out in October and Harvey Weinstein is involved so we can't totally count it out. Watts' performance may just be one of those Mona Lisa Vito types that slides into the best supporting actress race.

Also of note: count the trailer as another step in the revival of Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky."

Release Date: October 24, 2014
Studio: The Weinstein Company
Director: Ted Melfi
Screenwriter: Ted Melfi
Starring: Bill Murray, Naomi Watts, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd,
Genre: Comedy, Drama
MPAA Rating: Not Available

Plot Summary:
A young boy whose parents just divorced finds an unlikely friend and mentor in the misanthropic, bawdy, hedonistic, war veteran who lives next door.