Monday, March 19, 2012

BEING FLYNN - it doesn't suck too bad

Being Flynn is a film based on Nick Flynn's Boston memoir, Another Bullshit Night in Suck City. Robert DeNiro stars as Paul Dano's (Nick Flynn) neurotic father who is self obsessed and has a penchant for writing. 

The film takes place in Boston and despite being a gentrified clean city, Being Flynn's Boston is dark, damp and unfriendly but not without heart and compassion. Dano is down on his luck and comes to find work in a homeless shelter. DeNiro has been destitute for decades and finally ends up homeless. Father and son eventually cross paths and go through the usual ups and downs of desertion and reconciliation. That doesn't mean boring, however. 

This film showcases DeNiro in his best role in quite a while. He is quite beside himself most of the time, sort of like a dementia patient, completely competent one minute and the next minute, Adolph Hitler. Dano was at his indie best and rarely if ever disappoints. The story never seems to end for Robert but for Flynn's sake I hope it concludes quickly. This is a dark tale but one worth the time and empathy. 

Recommended Viewing: The Son - Henry Fool - A Bronx Tale

              Bob Scale: Objective: 7.0   -   Subjective: 7.3
             MetaCritic: 53
 Rotten Tomatoes: 56
                      IMDB: 6.9



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