Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

God's Pocket

Play trailer Poster for God's Pocket R 2014 1h 28m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
36% Tomatometer 97 Reviews 35% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A boozy lowlife (Philip Seymour Hoffman) tries to bury the truth about his crazy stepson's suspicious death, but a nosy newspaper columnist (Richard Jenkins) and the young man's mother complicate matters.

Where to Watch

God's Pocket

God's Pocket

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Well-cast but frustratingly clichéd, God's Pocket fails to strike a sensible balance between comedy and drama.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Jason Bailey Flavorwire Jun 18, 2016
Slattery shows real promise as a director, guiding his actors with ease and effectively evoking a very specific time and place. Go to Full Review Jonathan Romney Observer (UK) Aug 10, 2014
3/5
The film skates unevenly between spit-and-sawdust realism, mean-streets crime anecdote and queasy black comedy, but it's never boring. Go to Full Review Donald Clarke Irish Times Aug 8, 2014
3/5
Everyone gets at least one good scene, but the cumulative effect of all these rampaging tragedies and outbreaks of black comedy is ultimately rather exhausting. Go to Full Review Robert Sims Lights Camera Austin Jan 22, 2022
While the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman finds mild humor in his smalltime criminal's lethargic efforts to appease his grieving wife, first-time director John Slattery is unable to consistently maintain the tragicomic tone he strives for. Go to Full Review Dan Brightmore NME (New Musical Express) May 26, 2021
2.5/5
Those looking for one last great Hoffman piece won't find it here. Go to Full Review Jonah Koslofsky The Spool Apr 13, 2021
This might sound harsh, but God's Pocket is a movie that has no business existing. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Mary W. @maryvwaldron Mar 4, 2026 Philip Hoffman could do no wrong. I’m surprised by these reviews because I couldn’t look away. Action packed film with some PA culture that I enjoyed. I was concerned when I saw Philip running so fast when he was so badly overweight, unless the belly was fake. I went to see when he died and it was the same year. See more Jean P @FudgeOff Jan 4, 2026 The critics' reviews are pretentiously vague and unmeritted. It's a well made, not self-conscious film with very good acting and balance between humour, depression and grime. Hoffman is terrific, as always. See more john w @oldfaithful Dec 8, 2025 Ignore the critics , remember most of them dont have a clue , the last 10 yrs prove that , not one film that won best picture is remotely memorable. This is a good movie , with a great cast , watch it and enjoy it as entertainment, not like a self proclaimed critic trying to find fault. See more Craig W. @CJWolfe27 Sep 5, 2025 It’s ok the actors make it worth a watch See more James B. @JKBOPB Jul 15, 2025 Good not great like one would hope! See more Michael Isaac K @RT04682751 Jun 7, 2025 A multi-verse at it's wonder, what happened to social class? See more Read all reviews
God's Pocket

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

John Slattery

Director

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Mickey Scarpato

Richard Jenkins

Richard Shelburn

Christina Hendricks

Jeanie Scarpato

Caleb Landry Jones

Leon Hubbard

Eddie Marsan

Smilin' Jack Moran

More Like This

View All
Infinitely Polar Bear 83% 72% Infinitely Polar Bear Watchlist Adult Beginners 49% 31% Adult Beginners Watchlist Lucky Them 78% 57% Lucky Them Watchlist The Pretty One 50% 46% The Pretty One Watchlist Are You Here 6% 23% Are You Here Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Related Movie News

View All
Critics Consensus: Neighbors is Certified Fresh
View All

God's Pocket

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Mickey Scarpato in "God's Pocket." Philip Seymour Hoffman as Mickey Scarpato in "God's Pocket." (L-R) John Turturro and Philip Seymour Hoffman as Mickey Scarpato in "God's Pocket." Christina Hendricks as Jeannie Scarpato in "God's Pocket." (L-R) Philip Seymour Hoffman as Mickey Scarpato and John Turturro in "God's Pocket." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A boozy lowlife (Philip Seymour Hoffman) tries to bury the truth about his crazy stepson's suspicious death, but a nosy newspaper columnist (Richard Jenkins) and the young man's mother complicate matters.
Director
John Slattery
Producer
Sam Bisbee, Jackie Kelman Brisbee, Lance Acord, John Slattery, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Emily Ziff
Screenwriter
John Slattery, Alex Metcalf
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Cooper's Town, Park Pictures
Rating
R (Sexual Content|Language Throughout|Violence)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 9, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 5, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$104.4K
Runtime
1h 28m
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings