Description

Being Flynn 2012
R | 1h 42min | Drama | 2 March 2012 (USA)

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?

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated R for language throughout, some sexual content, drug use, and brief nudity

User review:

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.

Director: Paul Weitz
Writers: Paul Weitz, Nick Flynn (book)
Stars: Paul Dano, Robert De Niro, Julianne Moore
Country: USA
Language: English
Release Date: 2 March 2012 (USA)
Filming Locations: New York City, New York, USA

6.4Rating: 6.4 / 10 from 15,754 users

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.