For viewers who enjoy quirky movies lacking a plot and sense of direction, ‘Wilson’ is the movie for you. Woody Harrelson plays a blunt and invasive Wilson in this comedy-drama set in Minnesota. Though Harrelson delivers a decent performance, overall the movie lacks flow, leaving the viewer confused and uninspired. There are a few laughs scattered throughout, but not enough to entertain the viewer for the entire movie.

The story opens on a socially awkward man who is constantly invading others’ privacy — Wilson. He finds himself feeling lonely after his dad dies and attempts to reconnect with old friends and even start some new relationships. Eventually, he finds his way in a search for his ex-wife. She tells Wilson that she had a baby girl, whose father is Wilson, who she had given up for adoption seventeen years ago, unbeknownst to Wilson. He then tries to reach out to her in a strange and borderline obsessive way, starting off his adventure.

The protagonist of the film is Wilson, a snarky, blunt man who talks like he is a little kid and has no filter. Though the character’s uncomfortable nature is difficult to ignore, there are a few moments where Woody Harrelson is able to bring out a laugh or two. Harrelson co-stars with Laura Dean, Woody’s on-screen ex-wife, and Isabella Amara, Wilson’s biological daughter whom he gave up for adoption. Wilson’s ex-wife is a confusing woman who is either lusting after Wilson one moment or screaming at him about how he’s an idiot the next. Her character never seems to make sense, and she’s constantly behaving in ways that contradict her earlier actions, which didn’t really sit well with me as I was watching the movie.

Even though the film is set in Minnesota, the viewer would be hard pressed to notice much; there was only one scene where I was able to identify the setting as Minnesota. The rest of the scenery — the trees, the grass, the snow — was only really ‘Minnesotan’ if you were looking very hard. So if you were planning on going mostly because the movie is set in Minnesota, don’t.

I did not enjoy most of the movie, save for a few bits and pieces, but I do believe that there is an audience for that type of film, however small it may be.

⅖ stars