Being Flynn

Here we have over 100 minutes of the same topic being told over and over! What was Director Paul Weitz thinking? We see over and over Nick Flynn's relationship with his over stressed mother and psychotic bum father. Dano is sadly one dimensional and predictable - even with all the evidence before him of how he will end up if he doesn't change his ways. De Niro is a wise old sage in one scene then a screaming maniac in another, then a boozed up drunk in another scene and all the while he says the same thing over and over to Nick (his son). We - the viewers - know how this story will end. Believe me, it's no surprise! The ending of the movie might as well have been the beginning! I was bored watching and now I'm bored writing about this movie.

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.

Very solid, watchable film. Great performances by Paul Dano, who is turning into one of the best actors of his generation, and Robert DeNiro, who more than gets the job done. The film loses momentum towards the end, and is 15 minutes longer than it needs to be. But this is a minor quibble over a film which is better than 95% of the schlock which is being produced nowadays. Thanks for making this. ***************** But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful.

Mr. DeNiro, I review movies by addressing a person involved. This is a first. You are the man. It is Your snake film. Here is what it meant to me. Some ten years ago I read about the ruins down south, how the two civilizations united their galactic mythologies. It seemed convincing, an exact orbital extrapolation corresponding with the centre in exactly 2002, Hendaye, France. Leaving the Earth out of this, I remember thinking about Christmas Eve, and all the magic my parents entertained uniquely around that time, thinking how much longer that would take with the illusion, about seventy years a degree would give St. Nick another 200 years or so, no end to the miracle. With respect to just us men, there is this idea I came across only yesterday, in a way You may agree could not be more appropriate, however childish [ BearPublishing ]. It is the idea of a "Guardian of the Threshold". Having thoroughly smoothed this bump over myself with Neil's metaphysical bulldozer and (more recently) a rationalization of my having destroyed the Venus pattern (do not think about it that way), I want to sincerely congratulate You on my awesome interpretation of Your offering the Soul with this, to the Catholic Church to possibly brainwash and transform the Priesthood with. What I want to point out at large is the virtue of Steiner's mental gymnastics about the "etheric body", especially those "warmth eggs on Saturn" he went on about. What is happening with this whole ExpectoPatronum is realistically a final necessary inflection of collective consciousness towards normal liberation, like humours crusting away the clown. I do not mean consciousness like Jung did, rather in a way of shared sensory pattern. PooYing, Tomasz Kapler

Nick Flynn (Paul Dano) is lost but hopes to be a writer. He takes a job at a homeless shelter in Boston, and then later finds his father, Jonathan (Robert De Niro) taking residence. Jonathan is self professed great writer and master of all. He is an absentee dad. He is unlikeable, annoying, and prideful. Nick is a weak individual and just can't take Jonathan anymore. Paul Dano is once again playing the flustered guy. He is not likable and he is too pathetic. It is impossible to root for him. If this was about the mentally unstable Robert De Niro, it could be an award winning performance. It's somewhat wasted on a film about his son.

This film is about a young man whose father left and his mother killed herself. Years later, he meets his father again unexpectedly in a homeless shelter. "Being Flynn" is an emotional journey for both Nick and his father. Their lives both spiral downward out of control, and they somehow have to find salvation. The story exposes their wounds openly, dissecting each problem for viewers to see. I feel sorry for Nick having to witness his father's deterioration, and ultimately his own downfall. It is an engaging story that can drag your mood down with it. Maybe that is why the film is good, as it provokes emotional reactions for the viewers.

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

This is like a realistic portrayal of father and son bonding movie. Except it goes a bit too realistic to make it moving or touching for that matter. I mean it's difficult to see how the bonding can be difficult if the father leaves the family for 18yr without any good reason. But there just wasn't enough intimate moments between the father and the son, maybe just one scene that stood out. And the father Jonathan Flynn(Rober De Niro) is a conceited and detestable guy, he is also a racist. Not a extreme one but still a racist. Anyways he is a failed writer that is fool of himself and has nothing else to do but look down upon society and the people. While his son(Paul Dano) who also wants to be a writer has his life spiraling downward because he feels like nothing and because of his past scars. So he decides to work in a homeless shelter where he meets his father. The movie however lacked the bonding elements and just has the two characters having different perspectives and living different lifestyles although they are both struggling. Like how one is a alcoholic and the other a drug addict. Despite their differences there is one intimate moment between them that really stands out. And it's a shame there isn't more of those scenes in this movie. Paul Dano is good but Robert De Niro is magnificent and he pulls off a character that is detestable but you can't have that much hatred for the guy. It's nice to see De Niro at the top of his game again but the movie as a whole just isn't all that good nor does it pull on the heartstrings all that much. 6/10

Again, I find it a challenge to write a review after reading the one by David Ferguson (ferguson-6); don't want to copy another reviewer. Read his review, hopefully after mine. I agree with David about the non traditional Hollywood ending. I also did not have the pleasure of reading the book by Nick Flynn and I don't plan to; I've had enough of the movie's realism to quench that thirst. The performances by De Niro and Dano are captivatingly dark, gripping and absolutely discomforting, when they are the most believable. You must understand the storyline before considering watching the movie. It's hard to tell if De Niro is overplaying the character or if the real Flynn was that bad of a drunk; either way that makes the veteran of the screen's performance a memorable one. I tend to believe the performance of Robert De Niro here, and like to think he does portray what Jonathan Flynn must have been like, as it feels too real not to be. Anyone who's known a problematic alcoholic knows the De Niro's role was very demanding. I have a soft spot for movies with narration and the one delivered by Paul Dano, playing Nick Flynn to perfection, was both well done and required, in the context of the story. The ending, after a roller coaster ride of the life of an author with unyielding self confidence, was guaranteed to bring a sigh of relief and it won't surprise me a bit if you exclaim 'son of a bit**' as I did. If I was an actor, I'd want to have played a part in this movie. It's not for everyone, but I recommend it for movie-lovers who crave intense performances now and then.

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.