Some lonelinesses are forced upon us, some we construct for ourselves.
Al Pacino is Manglehorn, a Texas locksmith who keeps the world at arms length. He can provide love for his ailing cat, but is unable to engage with his troubled son. On a date with a woman who is clearly falling in love with him he talks at length about the love of his life and his regret at losing her. He can walk past a major car accident and fail to notice the suffering of those involved. Only with his young granddaughter does he allow himself any real emotional connection
Mangelhorn can help people get into their locked cars, or crack into an old safe to which the combination has been lost, but he can't find a way to open up his own feelings and let himself enjoy the life he has. That heavy handed metaphor, and the too frequent use of voiceovers, is partly compensated for by Pacino's performance. The over the top persona he can bring to the screen has been locked away and we get a very human, fallible and morose man who can't, or won't, communicate. A misanthropic tale, but brightened by the possibility for change at the end.
This is no classic movie, but it's enjoyable enough.
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