Monsieur Flynn

Most people are unaware that some of the best performances actors deliver are in the smaller budgeted lesser seen films. Being Flynn is one of those that got limited release and was getting some good reviews, but kind of just came out of nowhere. Sporting a great cast including Paul Dano, Robert DeNiro, and Julianne Moore, could this be another of those rare gems that get lost on the shelf or will it be one that's clear to why it got such a limited release.

Being Flynn follows a father and son who haven't been in contact with each other in years. When the father reaches out to his son, he realizes he cannot outrun his fate and realizes that he has the chance to make a life for himself as well as for his father. This drama is filled with some interesting characters and great performances, most notably DeNiro who seems to be letting it all out in one of his strongest performances in some time. Paul Dano does a great job carrying his own weight alongside DeNiro playing off of each other to bring this troubled relationship to life. The story takes a deeper than expected journey into human emotion and the thin line of genius and madness. Everyone gives great performances delivering a powerful film that works really well. The biggest issue is the pacing. At times it comes off as really slow and long, and others will keep you interested. With an emotional film like this it's important to maintain a sense of cohesion so the heavier moments don't get lost in a sea of useless moments. That's not necessarily the case here; it just runs a bit longer than it feels it needed too.

While not a film that will really deliver anything all that new, it does sport a great performance from DeNiro that is worth checking out. This film does sport some drug use and racist moments that while nothing you haven't seen are necessary due to the direction of the film. If you decide to give this film a shot, just make sure you are prepared for some heavy content.

http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-dallas/bobby-blakey

I really liked this film… a lot. As with a lot of movies based on life the story weaves about a bit. But I particularly like the way the narrative kept switching between son and farther, giving insights and snippets of past and present life. Very character driven storyline and this movie is a good antidote against the high budget, high gloss, special effect driven Hollywood movies… which I also like, don't get me wrong. But in the words of REM, "sometimes you need something more sub sub sub substantial." Both Robert De Niro and Paul Dano give strong performances, but I do slightly worry that Paul Dano might keep being typecast as the lost creative sensitive type. It was nice to see De Niro in a non-comedic role, which he seems to play recently. And it's a good reminder of here is an actor that can act.

Well worth watching in my opinion. Don't expect the movie to be wrapped up nice and neat at the end. I couldn't see how they would be able to do that without resorting to Hollywood cliché's. I'm still astounded this is by the same director (Paul Weitz), who directed the frighteningly bad Little Fockers.

If you're looking for a light drama or comedy, don't choose Being Flynn. But if you want to see the masterful acting of Robert DeNiro and Paul Dano, and you're up for serious subject matter, this is an outstanding film. The script does not sugar-coat any aspects of addiction or homelessness. It tells it like it is. The key characters are multi-dimensional, and I found myself rooting for them at times and wanting to kick their butts at other times. Besides the obvious subject matter of addiction and homelessness, the film also address the challenges we all have dealing with whether we are or are not our parents -- or at least looking at parts of ourselves we don't like that we also don't like in our parents. And the feelings of guilt and shame experience by Nick over the death of his mother are palpable.

The only thing I found disconcerting was that fact that it was supposed to be set in Boston and, with the exception of one recognizable Boston location, it was so obviously filmed in New York.

How much we inherit from our parents doesn't necessary make us become who we really are. Some might take pride into extending the tradition while others might fight against any residue of similarity to prove otherwise.

"Being Flynn" is a beautiful drama based on a true story of survival and search for one's self. It is tragically positive as we grow with the character of Paul Dano, very nicely played, to discover new possibilities are always possible when you put your mind to it, navigating through your troubles and finding strength and determination within yourself. De Niro is absolutely amazing as an estranged father who thinks highly of himself, in spite of all his shortcomings. It's a rewarding experience that delivers a good message of the importance of finding out who you are and validating your existence.

Being a bio, i must definitely say that it's a very interesting film about really interesting characters. Yeah, some will claim that a film without interesting characters is not an interesting film, which is true anyways. But fine: back to the main subject, 'Being Flynn' is an above average bio in my opinion.

The story about characters without any hope and saddened by the life and the consequences of it, is a thing that happens everyday with . The situation and the why people turns to be homeless is a subject explored and showed in a clever and entertaining way, without any distortions to make it look more 'interesting' for the viewer.

The editing, though very inconsistent in simple scenes, played a big part in the film's conception. The film wouldn't be as half as interesting without the good job done in that aspect.

I loved Paul Dano and Deniro's performances. Both were very good. Deniro as the grumpy old man and Dano as the character without direction in his life.

Overall, a flawed film, specifically the last twenty minutes or so, that really prejudiced a then fine film. Still, a solid 7.0/10