kosmasp Al Pacino really is into the role. It's not that you ever feel like he's slacking when he plays someone, but it's really refreshing to see him go all Rockstar on us. You could almost say it works on a meta level too (him being one of the greatest actors to ever grace the screen). He can also live through things he probably won't be doing in his real life and have a lot of fun with it.The character is very well written (based on a real life musician, clips during the credits, if you wonder who he is) and the story does work. There are many clichés in this, but the actors are so good, you probably won't notice. And no matter how low Al Pacinos character sinks, there is always the believe in him, the aura that he has, the screen presence. Will that all help in the end though?

blanche-2 Released in 2015, "Danny Collins" is based on a true story, that of singer Steve Tiltson. It stars Al Pacino, Annette Benning, Christopher Plummer, Bobby Carnevale, and Jennifer Garner.Pacino is, who else, Danny Collins, a world-famous singer. It appears from the opening interview in 1971 that Danny intended to be a Bob Dylan or the evolved John Lennon, who is his idol. Yet when we see Danny perform 40 years later, looking like a lounge lizard, his big song is something called "Baby Doll." So it appears along the way that Danny made some different choices which are a reflection of an empty life.Danny's life is one filled with indulgence - alcohol, coke, a trophy wife sleeping with somebody else, a plane, etc., yet he seems miserable. Well one can get a little tired of all these people with money being unhappy. But then you read about the lives some of them with multiple divorces, drug addiction, kids who hate them, affairs, rehab - and it doesn't seem to mean much.That's Danny. But then his manager (Plummer) gives him a letter that was sent to Danny 40 years earlier. Lennon sent it to the writer who interviewed Danny for a magazine. Instead of delivering it, he held onto it and ultimately sold it to a collector. His manager saw it for sale and purchased it.The letter knocks Danny for a loop. John Lennon tells him to be true to himself, that money and fame can't corrupt him - "only you can do that." Danny moves into a hotel with the intention of going back to his songwriting. He meets a woman, Mary (Annette Benning) who is friendly but turns down all his dinner invitations. He then tries to get to know his son, whom he's never met. His son hates just the thought of him, so it is no surprise that he's rejected. But Danny doesn't give up. Though this movie is slightly predictable, its sentimentality is deftly handled by the writer/director, Dan Fogelman. And Al Pacino's performance is brilliant - he's not yelling, for one thing. His acting is subtle, and he gives the viewer a fully fleshed-out character of a man trying to change and wondering if it might be too late. The actor is an odd choice for the role, but he makes it work. Annette Benning is wonderful as Mary, who hears part of his new song and realizes he needs encouragement. Christopher Plummer as usual is fantastic. He could have hammed up the role of manager, but falling into something stereotypical is something only an amateur would do. Instead, he's sincere, caring, and very direct.Stage and screen actor Bobby Carnevale plays Danny's son, who is filled with unexpressed anger and worry. Carnevale has a wide range, from Will's boyfriend on Will and Grace to a disgustingly cruel character on "Boardwalk Empire" - here's a dad with a lot on his mind - and the last thing he needs is a father he doesn't know. Jennifer Garner plays his wife, and she's lovely.Beautiful story with a great ending. So glad I watched it. It was well worth it.

Reno Rangan First of all, the director proved the script is very important to a film's success. He wrote it, basically he's a screenplay writer who had written many great stuffs and this film is his first directional venture. He excelled it by picking the right stuffs for the project. As the great actors on-board, it was shot in the fine locations and the music was wonderful. It should have been a dream coming true for him, for a great project to work with.The dialogues were so brilliant like the poems. I'm sure you won't end watching it without having fun because there were many small-small jokes attached everywhere. It was inspired by the real story of a person, but I think they have made some changes for a cinematic translation, hence it is not a biopic.Mainly it revolves around 4-5 characters and the cast were amazing in their respective roles. Especially the Al Pacino, without him this film would have not been this much exciting. If you're an his ardent fan, you will going love this from your heart and others as well find it a beautiful drama-music. He was nominated for Golden Globe Awards for his excellent title role display. A very appropriate film for him for his age.You know in this era, film fans are looking for what superhero film is going to hit the screen, a heartwarming film like this is what makes them realise still there's a hope for small scale films. Only if they're a welcoming type. Especially for the yesteryears actor who are physically can't compete with the young generation actors, films like this is a breather.This is a tale of an aging star singer who one day discovers a letter written for him by an another great singer of his generation when he was yet to taste the success. 40 years later, that mean now he decides to quit his music tour and begin to trace his family for the unfinished business. So the remaining narration reveals lots of inspiring and heartbreaking events. "If I am going to find any kind of redemption, I can't waste any more time."Life as a singer, especially being old and seeking redemption won't quite end as expected. Over the 40 years of addiction to drugs, booze and women, a self-discovery sail begins. In an unpredictable world, anything might happen and so this man's journey tells the impact on the family he's going to meet. It is not just about facing the one who he had abandoned long ago and now trying to fix it, but in reality, life is not easy, especially family means lots of commitment and choosing the best for it should be priority where this film opts that root to reveal a story.It is almost a good family film, but for the theme the drug parts were essential, so that changed its rating. The sub-plots like how he tries to win a date add more on the romance side of the tale. Kind of predictable because of the heartwarming drama, but differences were made from the twists in the narration. Not of that breathtaking kind, just developed to have a fresh aspect an the well known theme. Especially the ending was so simple yet very cool.As usual Bobby Cannavale was in a supporting role, but it was kind of different. He shined like a star, he appeared in a well noticeable character than ever. Along with Jennifer Garner, his performance in the film covered an important portion. So it is not just Al Pacino, these guys as well deserves to be appreciated for their contribution. A film that kind of resembles the recent 'Ricki and the Flash', except it was a male version. A product like this hard to come by, so consider to check it out. That means I'm recommending it.9/10

jkikianis This is an extremely predictable movie yet it offers some variations to the typical story structure and does so with clever humor and heartwarming drama. This is not only Al Pacino's best performance in the last 10 years but probably his best film in the past 10 years, which is not as much a reflection of how good this film is than it is a reflection of how poor Pacino's recent filmography has been. This film is an uplifting and inspiring tale of a tired rock star that is trying to make up for the mistakes of his life after receiving a long lost letter from John Lennon. Al Pacino is extremely charming and believable in this role of Danny Collins. He delivers his performance very subtly and with a sense of realism beyond what the rest of the cast is able to accomplish. This movie is in many ways an analysis of the character of Danny Collins. Al Pacino adds a good deal of depth and complexity to this character and at moments had me laughing and seriously caring for his character and at other points had me repelled. The rest of the cast including Annette Bening, Bobby Cannavale, and Christopher Plummer all give strong performances with believably deep relationships. Of every in the film I found Jennifer Garner as a stand out of the film with an unnatural performance and a very odd delivery of her lines. Despite the narrative are being extremely predictable, slight twists in the story and very interesting characters make this film a very enjoyable watch for the entire runtime.