As much as I love musicians, they make me jealous. I'm an avid listener to hair rock and classical music (It's a strange set of tastes, I know) and would I've had the musical talent that I wanted, I probably would have tried to join their ranks. A set of nimble fingers for the piano or even the ability to hit the drums several times would have been fine in my books, but my musical talent is limited to whistling, and even then, I only do so in the car where nobody can hear me. Those that are lucky enough to play well are not just seen as gifted, but better then everyone else around them.
I remember attending a Who concert a few years back when they played the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. Despite the age of the rockers, the group was well loved by it's audience that ranged from the ancient to the cynical hipsters that would have otherwise called the group overrated. Because of their legacy, the members of the Who are now lucky enough to call themselves immortal. They probably get recognized in the streets and will forever be treated to the finest the world has to offer. But when one rocker is faced with a moral crisis in Danny Collins, is having the world at his feet enough?
A Neil Diamond-like rocker named Danny Collins (played by Al Pacino) is happily living the life as a still popular musician whose married to a girl half his age and living in a nice home in Beverly Hills. His lifestyle also encourages the use of cocaine and other drugs that you hear about with other rock stars. For his birthday, his manager Frank Grubman (played by Christopher Plumber) gives him a letter. Danny reads that the letter was written over forty years ago by John Lennon and had wanted to work with Collins.
Struck with the thought that his career could have taken a different direction, he tells his manager to suspend his tour as he needs time to think about his situation. He takes his jet to New Jersey and takes up residence in a Hilton, hoping that he will write his first hit song in thirty years. He takes this moment to makes advances at hotel manager Mary Sinclair (played by Annette Bening) and to try and reconcile with his estranged son Tom (played by Bobby Cannavale).
This should give you a good idea that Danny Collins is a redemption story; the one that for years has been doing wrong to others and wants to make up for it before it's too late. The story is nothing new as we watch this rich rocker do everything he can to please his family and those around him. The problem here is that as he makes his rounds to help himself, you know exactly what kind of path he's going to take. Not to mention the film goes into that route where he almost slips back into his own ways and he has to win their hearts again and apologize. It's get's tiring.
What's lost with a predictable story is made up by Al Pacino and his talent. The man proves that even in his seventies, he can still slip into any role and get lost into it. I totally bought him as a rocker, especially as he plows through a nice rendition of "Babydoll" in the beginning. Christopher plumber, Annette Bening, Bobby Cannavale, and Jennifer Garner all add up well in our ensemble as they each play off as an extension of the rock star's desires and wants.
I'll give this seven music sheets out of ten. I'd go as far to call this cute and adequate. Danny Collins is nothing new and merrily exists to show that Pacino is still a good actor (and to apologize for Jack and Jill). It's clearly a movie for an older set and I enjoyed it a lot more then The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. As long as you don't mind the predictable story, you'll probably like this.
I remember attending a Who concert a few years back when they played the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. Despite the age of the rockers, the group was well loved by it's audience that ranged from the ancient to the cynical hipsters that would have otherwise called the group overrated. Because of their legacy, the members of the Who are now lucky enough to call themselves immortal. They probably get recognized in the streets and will forever be treated to the finest the world has to offer. But when one rocker is faced with a moral crisis in Danny Collins, is having the world at his feet enough?
A Neil Diamond-like rocker named Danny Collins (played by Al Pacino) is happily living the life as a still popular musician whose married to a girl half his age and living in a nice home in Beverly Hills. His lifestyle also encourages the use of cocaine and other drugs that you hear about with other rock stars. For his birthday, his manager Frank Grubman (played by Christopher Plumber) gives him a letter. Danny reads that the letter was written over forty years ago by John Lennon and had wanted to work with Collins.
Struck with the thought that his career could have taken a different direction, he tells his manager to suspend his tour as he needs time to think about his situation. He takes his jet to New Jersey and takes up residence in a Hilton, hoping that he will write his first hit song in thirty years. He takes this moment to makes advances at hotel manager Mary Sinclair (played by Annette Bening) and to try and reconcile with his estranged son Tom (played by Bobby Cannavale).
This should give you a good idea that Danny Collins is a redemption story; the one that for years has been doing wrong to others and wants to make up for it before it's too late. The story is nothing new as we watch this rich rocker do everything he can to please his family and those around him. The problem here is that as he makes his rounds to help himself, you know exactly what kind of path he's going to take. Not to mention the film goes into that route where he almost slips back into his own ways and he has to win their hearts again and apologize. It's get's tiring.
What's lost with a predictable story is made up by Al Pacino and his talent. The man proves that even in his seventies, he can still slip into any role and get lost into it. I totally bought him as a rocker, especially as he plows through a nice rendition of "Babydoll" in the beginning. Christopher plumber, Annette Bening, Bobby Cannavale, and Jennifer Garner all add up well in our ensemble as they each play off as an extension of the rock star's desires and wants.
I'll give this seven music sheets out of ten. I'd go as far to call this cute and adequate. Danny Collins is nothing new and merrily exists to show that Pacino is still a good actor (and to apologize for Jack and Jill). It's clearly a movie for an older set and I enjoyed it a lot more then The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. As long as you don't mind the predictable story, you'll probably like this.