SYNOPSICS
The Wool Cap (2004) is a English movie. Steven Schachter has directed this movie. William H. Macy,Ned Beatty,Keke Palmer,Don Rickles are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2004. The Wool Cap (2004) is considered one of the best Drama movie in India and around the world.
A Christmas story. Charlie Gigot is a mute super at a dingy New York apartment building; he always wears a wool cap. One winter, a woman leaves her daughter Lou with Gigot, promising to be back the next day. Mom flakes out, and Gigot - who's down and out, probably with post-traumatic stress syndrome, has a drinking problem, and lives in a basement junk heap with a pet monkey - tries to find someone who will take Lou in. Winter gives way to spring; Gigot reluctantly becomes, in fits and starts, a parent. What if Lou's mom doesn't return; what are Charlie's options? His past may hold an answer.
The Wool Cap (2004) Reviews
Macy shows us once again why he is one of the very best.
William Macy continues to show us why he is one of the very best actors working today. One may not necessarily like all his movies, but Macy never fails to create a memorable role. Here is is simply "Gigot", the building "super", lives in a very messy and primitive basement apartment. And is mute. He does his job, and is very good at it, but seldom smiles. We get the feeling that he is not very happy inside, his only friend the cute pet monkey "Grace" that he carries around in a vented bowling bag. A little girl named 'Lou' (Keke Palmer) becomes a thorn in his side. The story is set during the December/January holiday times, and was filmed in Montreal. The characters move among Philadelphia, Chicago, and St Louis, sometimes by bus and sometimes by plane, but it is never clear where it is set. A superb story of friendship, family, and redemption. Highly recommended. SPOILERS are contained in the rest of my comments. As the story unfolds we find that Gigot, a decorated war veteran, was in a car wreck in St Louis in 1976 which killed his younger sister, and left him without a voice box. After that he became estranged from his family for 28 years, didn't even know his mother had died, he had such guilt. The wool cap he wore always had been his sister's, and one day at an amusement park panicked when the cap was missing after a roller coaster ride, and he managed to find it. His wearing the cap was symbolic of never having forgiven himself, when he finally did after a visit to a church decorating for Christmas, finally threw the cap away. Lou gets abandoned by her mother, and crashes in Gigot's place. They go to Philly to find her, mom is doing drugs, Gigot doesn't tell Lou, they go back home, later they find she died of overdose. Lou is smart and sassy, but has a bad habit of petty theft. She gets into a detention center, while Gigot is trying to find a way to become her foster dad. He is a felon, seeks help of dad and stepmother in St Louis, dad is angry, later relents as stepmom helps, the movie should have ended when Gigot and Lou were facing each other through the detention center fence, snowing, he said using sign language that he wanted to be her dad. It actually ended with one more scene, a year later, Gigot was working for his dad in building supply, happy and successful, picks up Lou after school for Christmas holidays. Ned Beatty plays got's father and Don Rickles plays the helpful neighbor in Gigot's building.
A very pleasant surprise (some SPOILERS)
If you have a chance to watch "The Wool Cap" sometime this holiday season, you're in for a treat! The movie tells the sweet story of a superintendent in a run-down apartment building (William H. Macy)named Gigot, who can't speak due to a car accident some years ago and always wears a battered wool cap. He lives in the basement of the building with his pet monkey, and seems pretty lonely. Of all the people in the building he interacts with on a daily basis, it appears only one of them (Don Rickles) is actually his friend. Then, a few days after Christmas, everything changes. A druggie tenant is in trouble with some rough people and has to go to Philadelphia as soon as possible. She and her boyfriend leave her daughter, Lou (Keke Palmer), who is about 12 years old and very talkative, in a reluctant Gigot's care for the night. However, things keep coming up and Lou ends up staying with him for much longer. The sweetness in "The Wool Cap" comes from the relationship between the two characters. Lou brings out the warmth in Gigot, and you find out things about his past that you wouldn't expect. The acting here is all spectacular, William H. Macy conveys all his emotions pitch perfectly without saying a word, and newcomer Keke Palmer is very endearing as Lou. This is a great Christmas movie that will definitely put a smile on your face.
Macy's on a winning streak
Macy and his partner, Steven Schachter are rolling sevens. They are making the sappy "Johnson and Johnson presents" genre hip. Usually these presentation are a bunch syrupy-sweet, message-laden, no talent crap but now things have changed. I kind of wished that the promos had not let on that Macy's character was mute. It would have been even more interesting to wonder why this guy never spoke instead of being told ahead of time. Keke Palmer proved that child actor don't have to be annoying and Don Rickles and Catherine O'Hara were awesome in there smallish parts. Ms. O'Hara was excellent in a serious role that had many layers and hardly any time to show all of them. She added the sexy- mature female element the Kathy Baker showed in Macy's other project, Door to Door. Rickles was actually funny without being offensive. Rickles has stood the test of time. William H. Macy is sincere, likable and emotionally and morally complex. Ned Beatty, in the role of Macy's dad, is a solid, consistent actor who never fails to be "real". you can see him in another awesome role in the film, Spring Froward.
A great movie
In "The Wool Cap," William H. Macy once again proves that he is one of the best and most underrated actors working today. He creates a distinct personality, and has great chemistry with other characters, without ever saying a word. Keke Palmer is also one of the best child actors I've seen in a long time, and gives an award-worthy performance. Their unlikely friendship makes for a funny, sad and bittersweet movie. It's a bit slow, but it's entertaining the whole way through. And the soft, jazzy soundtrack sets the mood perfectly. Steven Schachter is obviously a talented director, and it would be nice to see him do something for the big screen. If he keeps making movies like this, it's bound to happen at some point.
What I Thought
I am 12 years old. I cried my little eyes out watching this movie. Most girls love the dramatic movies. Girls and guys will enjoy watching this movie. There is a lot of scenes that you will want to cry really hard about. Just let it out. It's great to express yourself. See there is this mute man, and he doesn't have any friends but his pet monkey. And this monkey is his bffl (best friend for life). The man always wears this wool cap. What does it mean? Where does it come from? Find out yourself and watch the movie! Well anyways he gets stuck watching this young girl. Does he have fun, or hate life with the little girl? Find out yourself and watch the movie! Everyone will enjoy it, and it's okaie to cry. It shows that you are ACTUALLY watching the movie. So what are you going to do when you finish reading my summary? Hmm? Here is a suggestion, WATCH THE MOVIE! PS: Get some tissues first.