Directed by: Dan Fogelman
Starring: Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Bobby Cannavale, Jennifer Garner, Christopher Plummer, Giselle Eisenberg
Danny Collins is the story of a famous singer who attempts to redeem himself after decades of booze, cocaine, debauchery, reckless spending, and phoning in concerts in front of crowds of mostly older females. When Danny complains about the audience, his longtime friend and manager Frank replies, "You can't choose your fans Danny". Danny Collins is more or less a comedy, but a touching one containing Al Pacino's best performance in years.
The film opens in 1971 with a young, up and coming Collins being interviewed for a music magazine and being touted as the next John Lennon. Fast forward to 2014, where Collins hasn't become the next John Lennon, but is very rich, famous, and restless. He hadn't written a song of his own in thirty years, but he is playing sold out dates everywhere. "The woman who has to breast feed entire villages in Africa has problems, you don't," says Frank, who has the knack of giving Danny the most straightforward advice possible exactly when he needs to hear it. Maybe it's because they know each other so well.
Danny's impetus to change his life comes when Frank presents him with a letter written to him by John Lennon shortly after Danny's interview with the magazine. John tells Danny to stay true to himself and to contact him. Although contacting Lennon is no longer possible, Danny decides to adhere to the spirit of the letter and fly east to visit his son whom he has never met in person. He checks into a Hilton in a small North Jersey town, moves his piano in, and sets off to meet his unfamiliar family.
His pregnant daughter-in-law Samantha (Garner) and granddaughter Hope (Eisenberg) are more accomodating than his son Tom (Cannavale), who invites Danny to get out of his life. Tom underestimates Danny's persistence, who spends his days ingratiating himself into his new family's life. Tom eventually lets Danny in, but keeps his guard up. Cannavale, who memorably played ruthless gangster Gyp Rosetti in Boardwalk Empire, is at first defiantly angry, but softened by Danny's generosity and the fact that he may have cancer himself. His anger doesn't turn to spite. He knows Danny showing up in his life may be a blessing in disguise, but can't help but wonder when the other shoe will drop.
Danny also persists in asking the hotel manager Mary (Bening) out to dinner. She doesn't go to dinner, but she accepts his invitation to his hotel room to watch him write his first song in 30 years. I enjoyed the surprises of her relationship with Danny. Bening projects caring and a love for the artist formerly known as Danny Collins, but holds her ground, acting more as a muse than a lover. Thank goodness they don't end up in bed together and have to sort out that headache.
As I mentioned in the first paragraph, Pacino delivers his best performance since Angels In America. Many of Pacino's recent performances were interesting, but borderline hammy, but here he finds the depth he hasn't found in years. His Danny Collins is searching for redemption that was much harder for him than he realized. He is a nice enough guy and someone you could have a few drinks with, but is he someone you would trust any deeper than that? Frank provides the answer to Tom in a moving scene in which we learn how long and deep his friendship with Danny goes. We sense that underneath the money and the partying, Danny Collins has a sweet side ready to leap forth. It's just that he didn't have anybody to show the sweet side to.
The ads for Danny Collins makes it appear to be a generic family comedy, but the performances and the willingness of writer-director Dan Fogelman not to pigeonhole his story into formula is what puts it over the top. Who knew that the final scene would involve Danny hugging and holding hands with someone, but not with Mary? How refreshing is that?
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