[yasr_overall_rating]
A washed up Rock Star decides to change his lifestyle after discovering a letter written to him by John Lennon 40 years ago.
Despite “Danny Collins” demonstrating annoying convenience at times, the film makes itself hard to dislike in the end. The story, exclusive to its implementation might seem implausible, though it is loosely based on a true story. An old rock star named Danny Colliins (Al Pacino) with the lifestyle one would expect, receives a letter from John Lennon 40 years after it was written. The letter forces Collins to reevaluate his life. He moves into a Hilton hotel in suburban New Jersey where he meets the Hotel’s manager, Mary (Annette Bening). He decides to finally visit his grown son who he learns has cancer but hasn’t told his young daughter or wife who is expecting their second child. But to the credit of its cast, the majority of “Danny Collins” feels believable and more than that, manages to do something more than just tell the story. With brilliant performances by Al Pacino and Anette Bening, “Danny Collins” delivers an entertaining story without compromising its initial premise of a washed-out rock star lost in transition.
Which is why in its most intriguing moments, “Danny Collins” feels like “Lost in Translation”, counter clockwise, capturing the contrast of a big time celebrity in a small town hotel, attempting to transition from a seemingly permanent phase in his life, to a more fulfilling one. However, in its other moments, “Danny Collins” could have easily missed its mark completely, which is why it’s even more impressive that it didn’t. In fact, most of “Danny Collins” felt real, including the minor details. From suburban New Jersey where they captured the essence of the lifestyle of his grown son, yes, that’s what many Mets fans live like, to the progressive private school in Manhattan where Collins will use his celebrity and finances to enroll his granddaughter. “Danny Collins” consistently walks the tight rope of a feel-good story with a feel-bad premise. The writer and director, Dan Fogelman, masterfully manages to get through without the film falling to its artistic demise, even when it seems it’s about to.
All the way to the end, “Danny Collins” maintains a sense of nuance which can really be appreciated and maintains a level of authenticity that makes it difficult to criticize. Though some of the comedy in “Danny Collins” felt overdone and some of it just flat out missed, there was enough of it that worked to humanize its main character and maintain his likeability throughout the film. Additionally, the movie did enough to ensure the audience that Danny Collins was not going to be able to transition from his lifestyle completely, and that part of him will always be the washed up rock star. It is only that which allows us to buy into the other side of him, knowing that he’s an enigma. “Danny Collins”, like its main character, is imperfect, and though at times you may want to dislike it, you end up succumbing to its charm in the end.
In select theaters including the Angelika Dallas on March 27th
