IMDb > Factotum (2005)
Factotum
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Factotum (2005) -- This drama centers on Hank Chinaski, the fictional alter-ego of "Factotum" author Charles Bukowski, who wanders around Los Angeles, CA trying to live off jobs which don't interfere with his primary interest, which is writing. Along the way, he fends off t
Factotum (2005) -- MoviesTrailer.org - Trailer (Flash)

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Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   6,368 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 30% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Charles Bukowski (novel)
Bent Hamer (written by) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Factotum on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 April 2005 (Norway) more
Genre:
Tagline:
What matters most is how you well you walk through the fire. more
Plot:
This drama centers on Hank Chinaski, the fictional alter-ego of "Factotum" author Charles Bukowski, who wanders around Los Angeles, CA trying to live off jobs which don't interfere with his primary interest, which is writing. Along the way, he fends off the distractions offered by women, drinking and gambling. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
3 wins & 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(21 articles)
A Talk with Bent Hamer, on the Subject of a fellow named Odd Horten
 (From The Hollywood Interview. 22 September 2009, 3:03 PM, PDT)

Film: Review: O’Horten
 (From The AV Club. 4 June 2009, 12:00 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Wickedly funny, near perfect dark comedy more (72 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Matt Dillon ... Hank Chinaski
Lili Taylor ... Jan
Didier Flamand ... Pierre
Fisher Stevens ... Manny

Marisa Tomei ... Laura

Adrienne Shelly ... Jerry

Karen Young ... Grace
Thomas Lyons ... Tony Endicott (as Tom Lyons)
Dean Brewington ... Old Black Man
James Cada ... Bald Man
James Michael Detmar ... Smithson
Kurt Schweickhardt ... Ice Plant Supervisor
Dee Noah ... Hank's Mother
James Noah ... Hank's Father
Michael Egan ... Taxi Office Clerk
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Factotum (France)
Factotum: A Man Who Performs Many Jobs (USA) (long title)
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Runtime:
94 min
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
This is the second feature film in which Matt Dillon and Fisher Stevens go to the horse races (the first being "Flamingo Kid"). more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: The want ad that Henry circles contains an incomplete sentence. The first line reads: "Begin in delivery room and work un-" then the second line begins "Contact Mr. Heathercliff". more
Quotes:
Henry Chinaski: I lost a woman.
Old Black Man: Yeah, well, you'll have others. You'll lose them, too.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Indie Sex: Censored (2007) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Symphony No. 3 in F Major, op 90 more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
18 out of 29 people found the following comment useful.
Wickedly funny, near perfect dark comedy, 20 July 2006
10/10
Author: (roland@atkinsononfilm.com) from Portland, Oregon, United States

Deliciously acerbic, wickedly funny, fast paced, expertly crafted dark comedy. Based on an autobiographical novel by the misanthropic Charles Bukowski, The Norwegian co-writer-director Bent Hamer, who made the droll 2003 comedy, "Kitchen Stories," has created a nearly perfect film here. Factotum, we are told in the opening credits, is a word that means "a person who performs many jobs." Indeed, the story is more-or-less organized around the myriad jobs sought and botched by the protagonist, unsuccessful short story writer and all around lowlife Henry Chinaski (Matt Dillon). The other principal organizing focus in Chinaski's life is the women he squeezes and drinks with, primarily slutty Jan (Lili Taylor) and, more passingly, the somewhat classier Laura (Marisa Tomei). Rounding out the cast are Henry's horse race handicapping buddy Manny (Fisher Stevens) and Pierre, a wealthy Frenchman who composes operas and surrounds himself with prostitutes (Didier Flamand).

If one were to posit a film genre called comedy noir - dark, devilish American comedies set in lowlife surrounds like taverns and sleazy apartments, when possible dimly lit and narrated by the anti-hero protagonist, intoning in flat, world-weary, matter-of-fact voiceovers, as in a Raymond Chandler detective story - then "Factotum" would be the defining film for this genre. What other films to include? Among recent ones, "Hustle & Flow" comes quickly to mind. "The Big Lebowski," and maybe some other films by the Coens. Quite a lot of Jim Jarmusch's oeuvre, but "Down By Law" for sure. Steve Buscemi's "Trees Lounge." "Pulp Fiction," of course. This film is steeped in richly cynical dialogue, well written (in collaboration with Jim Stark, who also co-wrote "Cold Fever"), well photographed (by John Christian Rosenlund), and well edited (alas, no credit is given for this achievement on either the IMDb or the film's own website). Dillon and Taylor give superb turns. My grade: 10/10 (A)

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
I really liked Jan. cgrady-2
A good actor to play Bukowski would be... freaky-styley101
Best line in the movie... jabberttp
Location taylorcp
Ending... luvehorror
play feel to it StoneVed
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