About God's Pocket

"God's Pocket" is a 2014 American drama film directed by John Slattery. The story follows the life of Mickey Scarpato, a man living in a South Philadelphia neighborhood known as God's Pocket. The plot thickens as his crazy stepson dies in a construction 'accident', and he tries to keep it a secret. However, a local columnist arrives to dig the truth, causing trouble for Mickey. Based on Pete Dexter's novel of the same name, the film offers a gritty exploration of blue-collar life amid despair and desolation.

Making / Production

The film is the directorial debut of actor John Slattery (Mad Men), who also co-wrote the screenplay with Alex Metcalf. The movie was predominantly shot in Yonkers, New York and premiered on January 17, 2014, at the Sundance Film Festival.

Actors

• Philip Seymour Hoffman played the lead role of Mickey Scarpato delivering a captivating and emotionally dense performance.
• Richard Jenkins portrayed the character of a local columnist named Richard Shellburn, through an engaging and nuanced performance.
• Christina Hendricks depicted Jeanie Scarpato, brilliantly bringing the character's sense of grief and desperation to the screen.
• John Turturro starred as Arthur 'Bird' Capezio, offering a riveting performance as a man caught up in crime.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• "God's Pocket" was one of Philip Seymour Hoffman's final films; he died a few weeks after its premiere at Sundance.
• The film is based on a 1983's book of the same name written by Pete Dexter.

Awards

The film did not win any notable awards but was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

Quotes

• "One thing you can say about God's pocket, they take care of their own." - Richard Shellburn
• "There are times when I look at you, and I don't recognize you anymore." - Jeanie Scarpato

Music, Soundtrack

• The musical score for God's Pocket was composed by Nathan Larson, creating a haunting ambiance that suits the film's dark tones.