The Tender Bar
Growing up on Long Island without a father present might have had detrimental impacts for Jr (Daniel Renieri/Tye Sheridan); but with his Uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck) and the barflies that frequent the Dickens Pub imparting their wisdom, with a little luck and a lot of hope Jr might just turn out okay.
Based on the book written by J.R. Moehringer and screenplay by William Monahan, Directed by George Clooney this measured pace homecoming/coming of age tale rolls out slowly, avoiding extremes and staying safely in the shallower end of the pool. And, while the story itself does show the traditional hero’s quest, an attainment of knowledge or the “golden fleece” as it were, the overall journey doesn’t push forward in a memorable and meaningful way. End result, all parties get an A for effort, but an “eh?” for entertainment value. The Tender bar is rated R.