X
- 2015
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 46 m
- 2015
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 46 m
Summary Aging 1970s rocker Danny Collins (Al Pacino) can't give up his hard-living ways. But when his manager (Christopher Plummer) uncovers a 40 year-old undelivered letter written to him by John Lennon, he decides to change course and embarks on a heartfelt journey to rediscover his family, find true love and begin a second act.
Directed By: Dan Fogelman
Written By: Dan Fogelman
- 2015
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 46 m
- 2015
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 46 m
Danny Collins
58
6.6
Where to Watch
Summary Aging 1970s rocker Danny Collins (Al Pacino) can't give up his hard-living ways. But when his manager (Christopher Plummer) uncovers a 40 year-old undelivered letter written to him by John Lennon, he decides to change course and embarks on a heartfelt journey to rediscover his family, find true love and begin a second act.
Directed By: Dan Fogelman
Written By: Dan Fogelman
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 31 Critic Reviews
58
55% Positive
17 Reviews
17 Reviews
45% Mixed
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 31 Critic Reviews
58
55% Positive
17 Reviews
17 Reviews
45% Mixed
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
An appealing comedy with an unabashed streak of melodrama, sharp dialogue, and a superb ensemble cast, anchored by a lead performance by Al Pacino in lovable scamp mode.
Al Pacino sells the heck out of his performance as Danny Collins.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 74 User Ratings
6.6
59% Positive
44 Ratings
44 Ratings
32% Mixed
24 Ratings
24 Ratings
8% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 74 User Ratings
6.6
59% Positive
44 Ratings
44 Ratings
32% Mixed
24 Ratings
24 Ratings
8% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
A 40 year old letter and the road to redemption.
First of all, the director proved the script is very important to a film's success. He wrote it, basically he's a screenplay writer who had written many great stuffs and this film is his first directional venture. He excelled it by picking the right stuffs for the project. As the great actors on-board, it was shot in the fine locations and the music was wonderful. It should have been a dream coming true for him, for a great project to work with.
The dialogues were so brilliant like the poems. I'm sure you won't end watching it without having fun because there were many small-small jokes attached everywhere. It was inspired by the real story of a person, but I think they have made some changes for a cinematic translation, hence it is not a biopic.
Mainly it revolves around 4-5 characters and the cast were amazing in their respective roles. Especially the Al Pacino, without him this film would have not been this much exciting. If you're an his ardent fan, you will going love this from your heart and others as well find it a beautiful drama-music. He was nominated for Golden Globe Awards for his excellent title role display. A very appropriate film for him for his age.
You know in this era, film fans are looking for what superhero film is going to hit the screen, a heartwarming film like this is what makes them realise still there's a hope for small scale films. Only if they're a welcoming type. Especially for the yesteryears actor who are physically can't compete with the young generation actors, films like this is a breather.
This is a tale of an aging star singer who one day discovers a letter written for him by an another great singer of his generation when he was yet to taste the success. 40 years later, that mean now he decides to quit his music tour and begin to trace his family for the unfinished business. So the remaining narration reveals lots of inspiring and heartbreaking events.
"If I am going to find any kind of redemption, I can't waste any more time."
Life as a singer, especially being old and seeking redemption won't quite end as expected. Over the 40 years of addiction to drugs, booze and women, a self-discovery sail begins. In an unpredictable world, anything might happen and so this man's journey tells the impact on the family he's going to meet. It is not just about facing the one who he had abandoned long ago and now trying to fix it, but in reality, life is not easy, especially family means lots of commitment and choosing the best for it should be priority where this film opts that root to reveal a story.
It is almost a good family film, but for the theme the drug parts were essential, so that changed its rating. The sub-plots like how he tries to win a date add more on the romance side of the tale. Kind of predictable because of the heartwarming drama, but differences were made from the twists in the narration. Not of that breathtaking kind, just developed to have a fresh aspect an the well known theme. Especially the ending was so simple yet very cool.
As usual Bobby Cannavale was in a supporting role, but it was kind of different. He shined like a star, he appeared in a well noticeable character than ever. Along with Jennifer Garner, his performance in the film covered an important portion. So it is not just Al Pacino, these guys as well deserves to be appreciated for their contribution. A film that kind of resembles the recent 'Ricki and the Flash', except it was a male version. A product like this hard to come by, so consider to check it out. That means I'm recommending it.
9/10
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danny collins may be slightly cliche but it's a really enjoyable movie that showcases the brilliant talents of Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer, Annette Bening and Bobby Cannavale. I really enjoyed the films looks at musicians constant internal crisis of whether success will mean compromise their art and the john Lennon heavy soundtrack is excellent. seriously worth at least one watch
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Comedy, pathos, and some schmaltzy couplets about the changing seasons follow forthwith.
Like an uneven album, the movie has some harmonious, authentically lilting moments and other off-putting ones.
Al Pacino’s done so much Acting over the last 25 years (hoo-ah), it’s disquieting to see him digging deep again—often with subtlety—into a rich role with hidden depths.
Danny Collins is nothing to write home about, but it kept me entertained without too much guilt, and I didn’t wince. By today’s American movie standards, that’s becoming very high praise indeed.
The spectacle of a dissolute hedonist suddenly acquiring a heart and a conscience late in life is shamelessly, and shamefully, contrived in its emotional trajectory.
Danny Collins is a good directorial debut by Dan Fogelman and is highlighted by a great performance from Al Pacino. Pacino is now known as one of the best actors of all time and this performance is not going to compare to some of his most notable roles but it will continue to impress fans and maybe introduce people to Pacino's past work. Danny Collins has a great plot and its inspired by a true story. There are also many good notable performances in the supporting cast like Bobby Cannavale who probably has his best performance ever. Then you have Jennifer Garner and the delightful and funny Christopher Plummer. Danny Collins is a clichéd film that will remind you of other redemption films but the performances are too strong and the story is too heartwarming to be ignored.
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This is a music based comedy/drama and it features themes including reconciliation, inspiration and songwriting. I didn't feel this was as good a music related drama as one I watched somewhat recently, called 'Crazy Heart', which I also reviewed. This film very much seemed to have a main character who was trying to get sympathy, who tries to be cool, calm and although he is somewhat jaded, he clearly still thinks well of himself, to a slightly annoying extent. The way he tries to flirt with women I felt to be a bit cringey and off putting but then maybe thats a personal thing? I don't know. It is amusing at times but it isn't what I'd regard a 'laugh out loud' comedy film - its more a fairly light rom/com or romantic drama maybe. To me, almost all 'rom com's I've seen aren't laugh out loud funny but light and amusing, much as this was for the most part. The plot didn't seem especially original to me.
I should perhaps add that there are some less light and more serious parts within the plot but I felt the script was a little too shallow overall, as far as characterisation is concerned. There is a fair amount of male moping going on, which I didn't find especially engrossing or entertaining. The music played in the background is pretty mope-y in tone too, quiet piano tunes that sounded a bit like 'poor, poor me - what am I a doing-of'. Danny is shown singing one or two of these tunes.
Cast wise, the film features Al Pacino, who plays the titular character, Danny Collins. He does alright in the role but obviously he's not especially known for playing such roles and would rather watch him in a crime/action film personally. I didn't really feel sorry for him, as another character said to him, he's to blame for the situation he's in, for indulging in too many excesses. Other cast members include Annette Bening, who plays Mary Sinclair and Jennifer Garner, who plays Samantha Leigh Donnelly, while Melissa Benoist plays Jamie and a young Giselle Eisenberg plays Hope Donnelly. If anyone steals the show, I'd say it was Giselle as Hope, Samantha's young daughter who is bright and happy and rather hyperactive, much to other peoples frustrations at times.
Content wise, the film contains nudity (full frontal nudity in one instance), strong language and there are scenes depicting drug use (snorting cocaine). There is no real violence present and it isn't scary or otherwise disturbing. Due to this content, the film has been given a 15 rating.
Maybe im being a little harsh? I suppose there surprisingly serious undertones to it towards the end, with the themes changing a bit but I don't want to give any spoilers, so I won't elaborate on that. It just didn't feel very memorable to me and I feel this sort of plot has been written and filmed many times before, in better films (thats my honest opinion - take it or leave it). Also, I felt that the ending left some questions unanswered, which can frustrate a lot of people.
I wouldn't specifically recommend this film as such. Its alright but it felt a little too fake to me - not entirely original and with not brilliant characterisation. I certainly didn't feel particularly sorry for Danny, who the film is all about. It features a good cast and there are some amusing moments but not much else really. It goes from being quite light to be surprisingly serious but it didn't really appeal to me and I doubt I'd feel compelled to watch it again, so I wouldn't recommend it, no.
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A very “iffy” script ultimately does this film in….. The cast (especially Al Pacino who is frequently charming-as-hell but has very little to work with) try in vain to breath life into the film’s not especially interesting story. What they have to contend with is the ghost of some relentlessly tragic 1930s Bette Davis “soaper” that lurks just out of sight in almost every scene (Bette Davis is going blind/Danny Collin’s son has leukemia/brave Bette is the only one who knows The Secret and now it will die with her/estranged Pacino‘s little grand-daughter has ADHD and Hope’s only hope- her name IS actually Hope- is to go to the VERY EXPENSIVE SCHOOL her that parents can‘t afford)…..enough already !…..…Another serious problem with the film is that the director himself seems to participate in the Ga-Ga Celebrity Culture he is exploring; none of the film’s material is presented “tongue in cheek”, there is no subtext; almost everyone in this story is a bit of a starstruck hick- including the director.
As a matter of fact the premise of the film itself betrays what can be called dangerously high levels of starstruck-ness i.e., just HOW amazing is it that John Lennon wrote an encouraging letter to a fellow-musician ?…..In your mind’s eye you can almost see the session where the idea for "Dannt Collins" was “pitched” to some wavering potential backer……. “I mean do you GET it !?…...it’s a letter FROM JOHN LENNON !!!…......from LENNON !!!!!!!!…….…the guy GOT this letter ….. He got this letter from JOHN LEN-”.
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Released for free on Amazon Prime, I gave this a go last night. This is one of those situations where I wonder if other reviewers and I watched the same film. The premise, intriguing, is wasted by turning it from what might have been an interesting transformation in someone who has wasted his considerable artistic potential for a successful sell out career in schlock and instead veers into a horribly cliched family drama. Pacino is never believable in this role as an aging rock star. He chews the scenery a bit and overacts, as he usually does these days, but never convinces that he is actually a musician. The few on stage moments are embarrassingly bad, albeit as they are intended to be but in way not intended. The few scenes in which he is writing songs at the piano never convince that this guy could ever sing, making Dylan and Cohen sound like Pavarotti. Plummer does a fine job as Danny's friend and manager, Benning's character makes no sense and while the family is adorable and the considerably able supporting cast does their best, they can't really make up for the hole in the middle of this film. Pacino is miscast as Danny Collins unless having someone look like an aging, over the top mafioso doing karaoke was the aim of the director. If making Yoko Ono a few bucks on the soundtrack was the intention, maybe this films score but, to me, Danny Collins is a muddle at best and the "what if" premise is wasted completely. The movie would have worked as well or as badly without it.
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Production Company
Big Indie Pictures,
ShivHans Pictures
Release Date Mar 20, 2015
Duration 1 h 46 m
Rating R
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Young Artist Awards
• 1 Nomination
