Personne n'est parfait(e)

This film may prove to be a little overly long, but is easily saved by it's two stars, Robert de Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Especially the latter is GREAT!

If this film is deemed any competition to "In & Out", it beats this film by MILES! Don't miss it! And the soundtrack, especially the tango is alluring and seductive.

FLAWLESS / (1999) **1/2 (out of four)

By Blake French:

Somewhere in "Flawless" there is a very good movie, but it is shuttered by the awkwardness of a jumbled plot. There are two separate stories here, and although they are interrelated, either one by itself would be enough for a whole movie. Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman make a chemistry-rich pair, both entertaining and amusing, and their screen presence is deserving of a lot of attention-it is tragic that not one but two different stories get in the way of their electric charisma together.

The first storyline details a homophobic former New York City security officer named Walt Koontz (Robert De Niro) who, at the beginning of the movie, has a stroke while rushing to a nearby crime scene. He is burdened with partial paralysis on the right side of his body and speech problems, which can be overcome with the help of his neighbor, Rusty Zimmerman (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a flamboyantly gay drag queen who often practices his musically vocal abilities with fellow friends in drag. Walt's physical therapist recommends singing lessons from Rusty.

The other story involves a criminal named Mr. Z and his attempts to find the incompetent people who stole a large sum of cash belonging to him. As Walt'z recovery continues, and the relationship between him and Rusty becomes more stable, various characters must react to the danger of Mr. Z and his clan of criminals.

What makes this movie so amusing is the interesting personality clash between the characters of Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman. I just wish De Niro's character was more active; for much of the production he is nothing but a metronome who is unable to speak or even move much. Some of the elements involving the gay drag queens are hilarious and contribute to the movie's effective mood, and Philip Seymour Hoffman is so deliciously clever as Rusty that I would nominate his performance for an Oscar almost immediately. The dialogue is witty and intelligent ("I need some butch faggots over here."), taking advantage of the situations applicable and giving the movie a surprising emotionally gentle side.

Not much else of "Flawless" is gentle, though. The overwhelming majority of the movie is gritty, rough material intended for adult audiences only. The vulgarism and profanity seemingly never stop and the coarse atmosphere is prevalent. The film is shot in a grainy, high-contrast style, with excellent cinematography and mood development. None of this shocks us, however, since the film's director, Joel Schumacher, was behind such perverse movies like "A Time To Kill," "8MM," and "Tigerland."

"Flawless" has a lot of decent material but it just does not fit together because of the plot distractions. Too much plot has never really been an issue for Joel Schumacher; in "A Time to Kill" and "8MM" he found focus with a central character, here he finds likable traits in two main characters, but allows the plot to control their inspirational qualities. If Schumacher were to reexamine this script with a different perspective, perhaps cutting the Mr. Z plot entirely, maybe it would work more effectively. As it currently stands, "Flawless" is a movie in which the actors work hard to overcome a plot heavy script and they do reign victorious in a few battles, but eventually lose the war.

An unlikely bond is formed between a conservative, retired New York City cop who has suffered a stroke, and a drag queen, in `Flawless,' written and directed by Joel Schumacher. Walter Koontz (Robert De Niro) is paralyzed on his right side, his speech is impaired and he can barely walk; to overcome his speech difficulties, he is encouraged by his doctor to try singing lessons, which in some cases like his have proved effective. Toward that end, he hires Rusty Zimmerman (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a neighbor in his apartment building, who performs at a local club in town. Formerly at odds with one another, the two form an alliance for their mutual benefit; Walter needs help, and Rusty needs the money. De Niro, as always, turns in an outstanding performance here, so physically convincing and shading Walter's disability with such finesse, that you forget that this is an actor playing a role. Such is the magic De Niro can weave on the screen. Hoffman, too, is excellent as Rusty, the tortured soul who wouldn't wish his life on anyone, and who can readily identify with Walter's newly acquired sense of isolation and helplessness. He understands self-pity and tries to help Walter get past his own. There is nuance to his performance through which he conveys so well Rusty's subtle anxieties and the feeling of rancor that surrounds him, and with which he must live every day of his life. Also notable in a supporting role is Skipp Sudduth as Walter's friend, Tommy, who must deal with his own confusion in dealing with Walter's situation, and the people with whom he now finds him involved. Previous to the stroke, drag queens were definitely not a part of their immediate circle of friends. The supporting cast includes Barry Miller (Leonard), Christopher Bauer (Jacko), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Tia) and Karina Arrovave (Amber). Schumacher has deftly crafted a character study that examines diversity and proffers the rewards of a symbiotic existence. The message here is that no one is flawless; we're imperfect creatures living together in an imperfect world, and if we can only get beyond ourselves and our prejudices, we just may find that gold at the end of the rainbow. `Flawless' is not without it's own flaws, either; some of the scenes involving the other drag queens and some of the criminal elements involved are somewhat overplayed at times, but that's a minor complaint. This film is deeply felt without being sentimental, and sheds some light on the human condition. It holds up a mirror to all of us, and asks the flawless among us to step forward. I rate this one 7/10.

I am sorry to say that I saw this movie for the first time today. You know they say hind sight is 20/20. I remember when the previews for the movie were out and I thought that looks like a really great movie. It was an incredible movie.

De Niro is exceptional as the homophobic former hero cop with a speech impediment due to a stroke. Hoffman is wonderful as the singing drag queen. The chemistry between the characters is true to life and heartfelt. When they come together, we see that their dissimilar lives are not so dissimilar at all. They are both overcoming some of the same trials and tribulations just over different things. They develop an amazing bond that will help them through the tough times.

A Flawlessly Beautiful Movie.

Flawless is a film that is about performances from two fantastic leading men and no so much about the story or the plot itself. The movie is about an ex homophobic cop who suffers a stroke while trying to save a girl , who happens to be a friend of his gay transvestite neighbour , during a run in with some drug dealers. His doctor tells him the best way to improve his speech is to start singing lessons. He plucks up courage to ask his neigbour to teach him to sing. This film is about how the relationship grows between these two very different people and how they both work together to overcome their very different problems. De Niro is back to his best after some very average movies and the acting from Phillip Seymour Hoffman is just outstanding. I have seen Hoffman in other films such as Boogie Nights and Magnolia and was impressed then but this is his best to date. I love this film and i think you will to. Dont miss it.