Title: Being Flynn
Directed By: Paul Weitz
Starring: Paul Dano, Robert De Niro, Julianne Moore, Olivia Thirlby, Lili Taylor, Victor Rasuk
Sure, director Paul Weitz is responsible for some excellent films like About a Boy and In Good Company, but with Little Fockers so fresh in my mind, it’s tough to remember what he’s really capable of. However, with Being Flynn, not only does Weitz go back to a more modest method of filmmaking, but he delivers a piece that’s incredibly grounded – almost troublingly so.
Even in his father’s absence, Nick Flynn (Paul Dano) grew up wanting to follow in his footsteps and become a writer. With his mother (Julianne Moore) long gone, Nick is on his own in the big city, trying to pursue his dream. One day, Nick gets a call from his father, Jonathan (Robert De Niro), who’s in need of some assistance, as he’s being evicted. Rather than rekindle their relationship, their 18-year reunion stops there and both go their own separate ways; Nick takes a job at a local homeless shelter and Jonathan takes up residence on the streets.
So far, so good for Nick at his new gig. He learns quite a bit from his superiors, taps into his honestly giving nature and strikes up a relationship with a co-worker, Denise (Olivia Thirlby). However, when Nick’s father drunkenly traipses into the facility, Nick starts to lose his footing.
Being Flynn establishes itself as a writer’s movie right from the start, kicking off with a voiceover from Jonathan stating just that. But, before giving the viewer enough time to pass any judgment, the point-of-view suddenly shifts over to Nick, a smart tactic considering you’re likely just about to label this a preachy writer’s film and also because so much of Jonathan is embedded in Nick. A similar changing of the guards happens with subject matter, as Being Flynn is certainly not a movie about writing, but a piece about the relationship between a father and son using writing as a plot backbone and a means to a fresher storytelling method.
Being Flynn has a diary-like feel to it. We watch Nick as he lives day to day, but are also treated to childhood memories as they come to mind. The two work quite well together, the past transforming present Nick into a fully realized character, not just as far as the script goes, but for an audience just beginning the film. Rather than spend a good portion of the first act testing the waters, Weitz leads us right to our main man, easily establishing that this story is told from his perspective.
No, you’re not always rooting for Nick and, at times, his decisions are clearly inappropriate, but nevertheless, you see everything through his eyes and, whether you agree with it or not, always get a solid sense of how any particular moment makes him feel. While this is excellent when it comes to developing the main character, once you’ve got this living, breathing person taking you through the film, you can’t help but to judge him and, as a result of Dano’s rather subdued performance, Nick can come across as frustratingly unemotional.
Then again, Nick’s attitude also leads to a nice dichotomy, as Jonathan is quite over the top. Dano and De Niro don’t share very much chemistry, but that’s the optimal arrangement for their characters. Technically, they’re father and son, but when they’re together, the moment oozes with unease and results in a rather icy environment. This serves as the perfect contradiction to Nick’s life at the homeless shelter, which is quite the opposite. Sure, the facility is ridden with men on their last legs, one character actually stating that the residents hit the shelter during their downfall, but between the employees’ genuine compassion for their guests as well as some technical prowess, the atmosphere is quite inviting.
Being Flynn is an actor’s film and Weitz knows it. There are no flashy camera movements here, simply the gentlest of touches, further enhanced by appropriate lighting. In fact, it’s the lighting that’s key to developing the warmth of the shelter as well as a homeless Jonathan’s safe havens, including a local diner.
While Being Flynn is packed with smart filmmaking and engaging characters, it does have two pitfalls that cannot be overlooked. Weitz delivers a notably solid script up until the very end. Having never read the Nick Flynn book upon which the film is based, it seems as though Weitz may have run out of pages or felt the need to wrap things up rather quickly. As a film that doesn’t hold back in the least when it comes to gestating a moment as long as necessary in order to really let it sink in, the quick clean sweep at the end is almost a little insulting.
Lastly, Being Flynn can be a tough watch. No, this doesn’t make it a bad movie, but you should be prepared to wallow in someone else’s sorrows for the majority of the film. De Niro in particular has a few moments that’ll undoubtedly rip your heart out.
Technical: A-
Acting: B+
Story: B
Overall: B
