Being Flynn (2012)

Working in a Boston homeless shelter, Nick Flynn re-encounters his father, a con man and self-proclaimed poet. Sensing trouble in his own life, Nick wrestles with the notion of reaching out yet again to his dad.

Director:

Paul Weitz

Writers:

Paul Weitz, Nick Flynn (book)

Stars:

Robert De Niro, Paul Dano, Julianne Moore

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert De Niro	...	Jonathan Flynn
Paul Dano	...	Nick Flynn
Julianne Moore	...	Jody Flynn
Olivia Thirlby	...	Denise
Eddie Rouse	...	Carlos
Steve Cirbus	...	Jeff
Lili Taylor	...	Joy
Victor Rasuk	...	Gabriel
Liam Broggy	...	Young Nick
Chris Chalk	...	Ivan
Wes Studi	...	Captain
Thomas Middleditch	...	Richard
Sarah Quinn	...	Religious Girl
Ben Foronda	...	Punky Guy (as Benjamin Foronda)
Dale Dickey	...	Marie

Storyline

Nick Flynn, in his 20s, hasn't found his place in the world yet, but hopes to be a writer. Around the time he takes a job at a homeless shelter in Boston, his father, Jonathan, who considers himself a great writer and who hasn't see Nick in years, abruptly makes fleeting contact. A few months later, the down-and-out Jonathan shows up at Nick's shelter and becomes a resident. This disorients Nick; he doesn't handle it well, compounded by Jonathan's belligerent behavior. Nick's memories of his mother, his budding relationship with a co-worker, and his own demons make things worse. Can anything improve? Is he his father's son?

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Plot Keywords:

homeless | writer | homeless shelter | absent father | male frontal nudity | 

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Taglines:

We're All Works In Progress.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language throughout, some sexual content, drug use, and brief nudity

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 April 2012 (Hungary)

Also Known As:

Another Bullshit Night in Suck City

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$43,990 (USA) (2 March 2012)

Gross:

$526,322 (USA) (6 April 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Focus Features, Depth of Field, Corduroy Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Original title of the film was "Another Bullshit Night in Suck City", the title of the memoir the film is adapted from.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jonathan Flynn: America has produced only three classic writers - Mark Twain, J.D. Salinger and me. I'm Jonathan Flynn. Everything I write is a masterpiece. And soon, very soon, I shall be known.

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Connections

Referenced in Made in Hollywood: Episode #7.19 (2012)

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Soundtracks

"This Beautiful Idea"
Written and Performed by Damon Gough (as Badly Brown Boy)
Courtesy of One Last Fruit

User Reviews

A great movie with a good De Niro performance, but Dano really steals the movie. The ending is absolutely perfect. I say A-

"What do you do if both of you are lost and you both wind up in the same place...waiting?" Nick Flynn (Dano) has had a hard life. His father (De Niro) ran out on him and his mother when he was young and his mother killed herself. Trying to start a new life he moves into a new apartment and takes a job working at a homeless shelter. While working there he sees his long lost father and is not sure how to act. This is a very very good movie. De Niro is trying to go back to acting again instead of playing in movies like "Machete" and "Little Fockers". While he was good in this I never really got into it like I did with old De Niro roles. On the other hand Paul Dano is fantastic in this and in some scenes actually out acts De Niro which is incredible. The movie is a variation on the child feeling abandoned and father trying to explain why he did what he did story but it in no way feels repetitive. Little by little and simultaneously the father and son both hit rock bottom then build themselves back up into the men they want to be and watching two actors of this caliber really makes it fun to watch. I won't give anything away, but at the end De Niro keeps repeating the same word and every time he says it it has a different meaning and the movie is worth watching for that one minute scene if nothing else. I highly recommend this movie and I look for Dano to win an Oscar soon. Overall, a great movie with great performances and a perfect ending. I give it an A-.