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Flawless

  • 19991999
  • RR
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
19K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Flawless (1999)
Watch {VideoTitle}
Play trailer2:37
1 Video
96 Photos
  • Crime

An ultraconservative security guard suffers a debilitating stroke and is assigned to a rehabilitative program that includes singing lessons, with the drag queen next door.An ultraconservative security guard suffers a debilitating stroke and is assigned to a rehabilitative program that includes singing lessons, with the drag queen next door.An ultraconservative security guard suffers a debilitating stroke and is assigned to a rehabilitative program that includes singing lessons, with the drag queen next door.

IMDb RATING
6.4/10
19K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Joel Schumacher
  • Writer
    • Joel Schumacher
  • Stars
    • Robert De Niro
    • Philip Seymour Hoffman
    • Barry Miller
Top credits
  • Director
    • Joel Schumacher
  • Writer
    • Joel Schumacher
  • Stars
    • Robert De Niro
    • Philip Seymour Hoffman
    • Barry Miller
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 116User reviews
    • 59Critic reviews
    • 50Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 4 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:37
    Official Trailer

    Photos96

    Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Flawless (1999)
    Robert De Niro in Flawless (1999)
    Robert De Niro and Wanda De Jesus in Flawless (1999)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman in Flawless (1999)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman, Nashom Wooden, Scott Allen Cooper, and Wilson Jermaine Heredia in Flawless (1999)
    Robert De Niro and Daphne Rubin-Vega in Flawless (1999)
    Robert De Niro in Flawless (1999)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman in Flawless (1999)
    Robert De Niro in Flawless (1999)
    Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Flawless (1999)
    Joel Schumacher in Flawless (1999)
    Robert De Niro and Joel Schumacher in Flawless (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Robert De Niro
    Robert De Niro
    • Walt Koontzas Walt Koontz
    Philip Seymour Hoffman
    Philip Seymour Hoffman
    • Rustyas Rusty
    Barry Miller
    Barry Miller
    • Leonard Wilcoxas Leonard Wilcox
    Chris Bauer
    Chris Bauer
    • Jackoas Jacko
    Skipp Sudduth
    Skipp Sudduth
    • Tommyas Tommy
    Wilson Jermaine Heredia
    Wilson Jermaine Heredia
    • Cha-Chaas Cha-Cha
    Nashom Wooden
    • Amazing Graceas Amazing Grace
    • (as Nashom Benjamin)
    Scott Allen Cooper
    • Ivanaas Ivana
    Rory Cochrane
    Rory Cochrane
    • Pogoas Pogo
    Daphne Rubin-Vega
    Daphne Rubin-Vega
    • Tiaas Tia
    Vincent Laresca
    Vincent Laresca
    • Raymond Camachoas Raymond Camacho
    Karina Arroyave
    Karina Arroyave
    • Amberas Amber
    John Enos III
    John Enos III
    • Sonnyas Sonny
    • (as John Enos)
    Jude Ciccolella
    Jude Ciccolella
    • Detective Noonanas Detective Noonan
    Mina Bern
    Mina Bern
    • Mrs. Spivakas Mrs. Spivak
    Wanda De Jesus
    Wanda De Jesus
    • Karenas Karen
    Madhur Jaffrey
    Madhur Jaffrey
    • Dr. Nirmalaas Dr. Nirmala
    Mark Margolis
    Mark Margolis
    • Vinnieas Vinnie
    • Director
      • Joel Schumacher
    • Writer
      • Joel Schumacher
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Walt Koontz, a homophobic cop, ends up with paralyzed vocal cords because of an unfortunate stroke. His therapy includes singing lessons from a neighbor who is not only flamboyantly gay but also pre-operative transgender. Both of them are equally prejudiced; Koontz against non-heterosexuals and the neighbor against closed-minded straight people. —Rob Reser - The Movie Kid - <moviekid@filmspot.com>
    • stroke
    • homosexual
    • gay interest
    • gay republican
    • female impersonator
    • 286 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Todos somos iguales. (Mexico)
    • Genre
      • Crime
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for pervasive language and strong violence
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Robert De Niro's face would sometimes ache for days after tensing his jaw to speak in his post-stroke scenes.
    • Quotes

      Rusty Zimmerman: Darling, I am more man than you will ever be, and more woman than you will ever get.

    • Crazy credits
      During the credits, DeNiro and Hoffman sing the "Name Song" together while staying in character.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: End of Days/Tumbleweeds/Flawless/Toy Story 2/All About My Mother (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Lady Marmalade
      Written by Bob Crewe & Kenny Nolan

      Performed by the cast, with additional vocals by Bruce Roberts

    User reviews116

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Offbeat movie with a point
    ‘Flawless' is an offbeat story about Walter Koontz (Robert De Niro) an ex-cop who suffers a stroke and loses partial ability to speak. In an effort to regain some of his speech capabilities it is recommended to him that he take singing lessons. So he decides to ask his neighbor Rusty (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who is a female impersonator, to give him singing lessons. This is an unlikely pairing because Walter is a belligerent homophobe.

    This film was written and directed by Joel Schumacher. His story, though peculiar, makes some powerful points. This is a story about hatred, bigotry and reconciliation. Walter learns through his disability who his friends really are, and who they are not. It seems that the people he hates treat him a lot better than the people he thought he loved. Ultimately, he is able to look past his prejudices to find the human elements that make him and Rusty not so different after all.

    This was an excellent character study of both main characters, giving a lot of insight into the motivations and lives of each. Unfortunately, the story meanders too often to irrelevant characters and scenes that don't really contribute much (like the Gay Republicans). Schumacher would have been better to concentrate on the relationship between Walter and Rusty rather than digressing so frequently into Rusty's relationships with his friends.

    De Niro was outstanding in this film. Not only was he excellent in the emotional portrayal of a man having to deal with a sudden debilitating stroke, but he was very realistic in his portrayal of the physical disability itself. The combination of his struggles to do the simplest of tasks and the obvious look of anguish and frustration on his face was poignant and affecting.

    Hoffman brought a lot of emotional energy to his part, and his imitation of a drag queen was passable, though somewhat forced and unnatural. Wilson Jermaine Heredia, who played Cha-Cha, the winner of the Flawless contest, was a much more convincing queen.

    I rated this film a 7/10. This is a good film that helps us understand that the remedy for the fear wrought of our differences is understanding, not hatred. In that respect it makes an important contribution. If cross dressing and blatantly gay themes put you off, perhaps you should defy your inclinations and see it.
    helpful•37
    6
    • FlickJunkie-2
    • May 15, 2000

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 24, 1999 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • MGM
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Без вад
    • Filming locations
      • Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Tribeca Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $15,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $4,488,529
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,590,155
      • Nov 28, 1999
    • Gross worldwide
      • $4,488,529
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS-Stereo
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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