It packs a strong cast, but God’s Pocket cannot deliver on character or story.

Beware the movie optioned, adapted and directed by an actor. It this case it’s Mad Men regular John Slattery, whose passion project –an adaptation of Peter Dexter’s novel God’s Pocket – is now released with a bevy of credible names attached…and very little else.

Its appeal is obvious to the thespian mind, with the characters of God’s Pocket the damaged, raw kind that actors love to shed their skin for. Yet while Slattery’s radar for interesting material is obvious (his acting credits include Charlie Wilson’s War and The Adjustment Bureau), he’s proven to need work in the storytelling department, with God’s Pocket neither holding much narrative or visual interest.

The film title refers to a lower working class hub in Philadelphia, the kind of place where gossip is popular and territoriality is high. For hustler Mickey Scarpato (Philip Seymour Hoffman), his already complicated world is given a knock when his vile step-son Jeanie (Caleb Landry Jones in over the top, sweaty mode) is killed, leaving his wife Jeanie (Christian Hendricks) distraught and himself six grand down for funeral arrangements.

Other characters revolve around this crux of a story – an alcoholic journalist (Richard Jenkins), a butcher with a gambling problem (John Turturro), and a tough talking funeral director (Eddie Marsan) – yet so unlikeable are these characters and disinteresting their plight that investing even a crumb of energy into their story is an investment wasted.

A great cast earnestly portray these characters, yet there isn’t much for them to work with. Of the bunch only Philip Seymour Hoffman truly stands out, and that thanks to his character having the one more emotion than miserable.

Whatever connection Slattery has with these characters and their world just does not crossover. Granted the grit and the grunge of this town and its inhabitant’s sticks like sludge, so much that a shower is needed afterwards to wash it off.

Getting down and dirty with the natives is fine, if the experience is worthy. God’s Pocket is not.