Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- sincere
- hopeful
- reflective evening
- quiet weekend
What critics said
Critics largely found the film sincere and occasionally emotionally affecting but undermined by a flimsy, overly sentimental spiritual premise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Henry dismisses Esperanza’s religious reading of the wall stain while his own despair makes the question of belief increasingly personal.
The Los Angeles block, patio wall, neighbors, priest, and visitors transform a domestic setting into a gathering place around the alleged image.
Henry buys a minimally furnished house, drinks, eats pizza, and rejects his neighbors while coping with terminal illness and despair.
The brown stucco stain appears to resemble Jesus and later seems to shed a tear of blood, leaving its meaning open to interpretation.
Films like Henry Poole Is Here, and why
The Straight Story
warm spiritual drama centered on belief, doubt, and an emotionally guarded protagonist
Simon Birch
faith-centered character drama balancing skepticism, community, and redemptive emotion
The Legend of Bagger Vance
sentimental spiritual drama about loneliness, ordinary people, and unexpected hope
Wide Awake
small-scale inspirational drama using an unusual sign to explore grief and belief
Movie Details
- Director
- Mark Pellington
- Release Date
- 2008-08-15
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (192)
Cast
- Luke Wilson
- George López
- Radha Mitchell
- Morgan Lily
- Adriana Barraza
- Cheryl Hines
- Earl Carroll
- Noah Dahl
- Rachel Seiferth
- Nick Dash
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Henry Poole Is Here about?
- A terminally ill loner in Los Angeles resists a neighborhood’s belief that a wall stain is a sign of divine intervention.
- What is Henry Poole Is Here like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Henry Poole Is Here as slow, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Henry Poole Is Here violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Henry Poole Is Here.
- What did critics think of Henry Poole Is Here?
- Critics largely found the film sincere and occasionally emotionally affecting but undermined by a flimsy, overly sentimental spiritual premise.
- Which films are like Henry Poole Is Here?
- Films with a similar feel include The Straight Story, Simon Birch, The Legend of Bagger Vance, and Wide Awake.
- How long is Henry Poole Is Here?
- Henry Poole Is Here runs 99 minutes.
- Where can I watch Henry Poole Is Here?
- In United States, Henry Poole Is Here streams on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel.
