Being Flynn
Director: Paul Weitz
Year Released: 2012
Rating: 2.0
The writer-wannabe son (Paul Dano) of a schizophrenic, alcoholic writer-wannabe (Robert De Niro) begins work at a men's shelter - as a loathsome kind of "at least I'm not as bad as these people" way - only to discover that Dear Old Dad is homeless and needs to sleep there (but is quite the handful). It begins with a modicum of gritty promise before becoming monotonous in what it has to 'say' (sons are the products of their fathers!) and mistakes grimness for 'truth' (Dad wets himself while shouting racist and homophobic comments, Son scrubs vermin off a derelict, Mom - in flashback - suffers from chronic depression and eventually commits suicide). As a rule, 'poetry' should be read aloud in a movie - either recited or in voice-over - either (a.) never or (b.) as a very, very last resort.
