Tonight I was lucky enough to catch an advanced screening of the new film, Being Flynn, directed by Paul Weitz. I am having a hard time processing my thoughts on this film because it is such an emotional roller coaster. More downs than ups to be sure, but it is undoubtedly a rewarding ride.
In brief, Being Flynn is the semi-autobiographical story of Nick Flynn, a young man (played by Paul Dano) trying to come to terms with his past, his present, and his estranged father (played by Robert De Niro) who shows up out of the blue after eighteen years. It’s a movie that tackles a lot of subject matter in a short running time, which makes it difficult to swallow whole. It is one of those lump-in-your-throat-the-entire-time movies. The characters’ struggles are so deeply intense and personal that one cannot help but struggle right along with them.
As I mentioned, the movie deals with a lot of themes, all of which help to unravel a delicate story of a father/son relationship. Memories play a huge part of this film. They work to create the melancholic, reflective tone that hovers throughout. These are some of the scenes that stick most in my mind because they are crafted perfectly to add layers to and humanize our protagonist, Nick. We see private moments between him and his mother (played by Julianne Moore) that are lovely to be of witness to. There is a tenderness to these scenes that add a welcome contrast to the harshness within the other parts of the film.
Another underlying theme of Being Flynn is writing, and the writing process. Nick and his father are both writers, and this comes up frequently. In a way, this is the only thing connecting them at first. As someone who loves the written word, I certainly appreciated this idea. The passion for writing can be seen in each line of the script, in each scene, and in each minute detail of character. This is a nuanced film, capturing moments that only a writer would think to notice.
I can’t go on further without mentioning the pure OOMPH that is Robert De Niro. A high school teacher of mine told me that so many actors end up becoming parodies of themselves. For the most part, I have unfortunately found this to be true. We all know De Niro has not been up to form as of late, but his performance as Johnathan Flynn is one to be remembered and embraced. He oozes “the method” - he is dedicated to this character in a way that I haven’t seen in a long time. It is the utmost refreshing. He brings humour to a character who is nearly impossible to like, and brings humanity to a man who doesn’t have much of it on his own.
Paul Dano also gives a notable performance, as expected. This kid can do no wrong and I sincerely hope he continues to make smart choices with his roles. I can see him becoming a force to be reckoned with, even more so than he already is. In his quiet way, he displays powerful emotion. With one look or gesture, we all know exactly what he is thinking, feeling, and experiencing. I hear Oscar calling. Strong supporting mentions go to Julianne Moore and Olivia Thirbly, who are always captivating to watch. I love actors who can make supporting roles memorable - actors who leave you wanting more of their onscreen presence.
With a killer soundtrack consisting of songs by Badly Drawn Boy, Paul Weitz certainly knows how to impact an audience. He is a writer and director who wears his heart on his sleeve, perhaps to the point of audience manipulation. But in that regard, at least he comes by it honestly and for the right reasons. It is genuine, for the love of all that is good, warm and fuzzy film making. Maybe I’m a sap, but I personally don’t have a problem with any of that.
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