Review of Danny Collins (2015) by Elgan D — 01 Jun 2015

"We got the pater back".

'Danny Collins' is a film based on reality he only way hollywood knows to how to - very very loosely. As it states at the start that this based on a true story "...a little bit". Which is all well and good acknowledging it but hasn't teh true story come to life? Why is the Liverpudlian who ended up getting practically no fame swapped for an American who did - and by the size of his house and flamboyancy a lot of it. It's disappointing that they weren't content with the true story that said it can only be judged on what it is rather than what I want.

And what it is, is a solid enough film that's strengths lie in the actors and particularly 'Al Pacino' and 'Annette Bening's back and fourth. As I said loosely based on the true story of a musician who while going through the motions finds out that 'John Lennon' had once sent him a letter with advice and his phone number. This kick-starts his love of music again and sees his current situations for what it is. He cuts a tour short, breaks up with his much younger girlfriend and goes to New Jersey to start writing new material and to meet his married son for the first time.

It's very nice and light there's the occasional dark moment the drugs his sons anger but it's all framed in nice lighting. It's story is fine it hits the typical story beats of a reconciling. That's aspect felt a little more unnecessary and seemingly only there for more motivation. Honestly the chemistry between 'Pacino' and 'Bening' would have be fine on it's own. All the best scenes involve those two.

It's laced (as you'd expect) with 'Lennon' songs some which are clumsily put in without enough thought gone into their reasoning.

It may not have much different in the way of story but the acting is great, 'Plummer', 'Pacino', 'Bening' etc are all on top form. It's pretty funny in parts too, the film is at its best when it's having fun the tale of redemption has its moments but it's when its light that it starts to shine. I say starts because it tends to get interrupted and as far as the 'Lennon' letter part goes its importance disappears within ten minutes of being introduced.

'Danny Collins' is a little shaky on its own narrative strengths. But 'Pacino' is fantastic and its characters are like-able. Its a shame that the importance of the letter is none-existent after 5 minutes. The idea of it kick-starting his love for music and getting some motivation in his life is great but he story of a fathers redemption is a little played out and I think love route would have been better.