Addressing homelessness is a growing topic of discussion in most urban areas of the country. The Public takes on this subject matter in a story that sees the homeless staging a protest in a library for more shelters in the city during a frigid cold spell.

The film strikes an infectious charming tone. It’s protagonists…a reserved library manager and an ensemble of homeless library patrons…carry the majority of that responsibility. In fact, a lot of good will for me is generated through the chemistry of the library manager played by Emilio Estevez and cast he bands with.

The Public, however, isn’t without its flaws. The film plants itself too firmly in fiction to communicate anything of real-world value. It’s premise works too hard to demonstrate how exceedingly good the good guys can be and how extremely bad the bad guys can be, which often distracts from an impressionable message.

But it's the three female supporting characters that provoke my greatest frustrations with the film. Although all three held the potential to make an effective impact, they are written into the narrative in a way that prioritizes the needs of the story over the consistency of their moral values.

It’s a top notch cast featured in The Public, but it’s a film that falls far below all of their talent levels. If you’re looking for a charming, feel-good film, check it out at your earliest convenience. Otherwise, check it out of your local library whenever it becomes available there.

Acting and Casting - 1 | Visual Effects and Editing - 1 | Story and Message - 1 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 0 | Reviewer's Preference - 1 | What does this mean?