This Must Be the Place

I'd heard about This Must Be the Place on NPR a while back and I was intrigued.  I like Sean Penn as an actor and the premise, which is just weird enough to press my wtf buttons had me adding this to our queue as soon as I found it.

This Must Be the Place
Released: 2011
Stars: Sean Penn, Frances McDormand, Judd Hirsch
Director: Paolo Sorrentino
Genre: Drama (or Dramedy)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 68% Fresh
Available On: Netflix

Cheyenne, a retired rock star living off his royalties in Dublin, returns to New York City to find the man responsible for a humiliation suffered by his recently deceased father during WWII. (summary courtesy of IMDb)

I loved this movie.  Loved it.  I want to watch it again.  It has problems, yes, and it's a little too tidy in some ways but the visual feast is worth the time spent watching.  Here's Penn, dressed as a goth with full makeup and all-black clothing, but he's doing everyday things.  Groceries, handball, going to the mall.  He's faithful to his wife and they love each other.  I found the disparity to be utterly delightful, as he delivers his lines in a soft-spoken way that is startling in contrast to his appearance.  When he lets loose, which he does in a few places, the emotion seems all the more vivid and purposeful.  If you enjoy strange cinema that's well acted, check this one out.

Also: David Byrne cameo.  Double plus good.