Henry Poole is Here, a film which garnered attention earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival for its focus on science and the power of prayer, is hitting theaters this weekend in limited release. The movie is directed by Mark Pellington and stars Luke Wilson as Henry, a man disillusioned with society whose attempts to isolate himself from the world and faith are thwarted when a stain on the side of his home—some see in it the image of Jesus—draws crowds of religious believers to his backyard. In this story of miracles and redemption, Henry begins to discover the true nature of faith and hope.
Critical response has been mixed, with many chastising the picture for an overly sappy and preachy script. Robert Kohler of Variety particularly lamented the film's "tendency to lecture on the power of faith and religion and on the demerits of science." Other critics, however, see the movie as redeeming despite its shortcomings, taking on a subject that many moviemakers tend to avoid and offering a very personal glimpse of the director's own beliefs. Stay tuned for our own review of the film from entertainment reporter Kimberly Roots (who recently reviewed The X-Files movie) on Monday. —Stephen Mapes