Danny Collins

"What would have happened if I got that letter when I was supposed to?" Danny Collins (Pacino) is a rock star who peaked years ago. He is coasting through life playing concerts when he can and playing the same songs over and over. When he is shown a letter that John Lennon wrote him many years before he rethinks his life and career. With a new look at life he heads to New Jersey to find the son he never knew and start writing again. As many of you know by now I am a huge Pacino fan. I think he is the greatest actor working today but some of his recent movies I haven't been a big fan of. He was great in The Humbling but I thought the movie was a little slow. This is a role that seemed like a stretch for him (he does his own singing) but because he is so great he pulls it off and it seems like a role he was made for. The movie is very fun and easy to watch. The cast is great and the writing is funny and heartfelt. Only an actor like Pacino can turn a clichéd cheesy line like "some dinners are worth fighting for" into something that is meaningful. Overall, I am a little biased because Pacino is my favorite actor but this is a great movie and his best movie in a few years. I give it an A.

I was in two minds as to whether I'd even bother with another Pacino film. He's been involved in a quite a few mediocre movies recently and I'd made a mental note to try and avoid them. However, I found plot summary of this movie quite intriguing and thought I'd give it a go. Incredibly this is one of his best films and I really enjoyed it from the start to the credits. Danny Collins has lived a hedonistic, excessive lifestyle for decades, but a surprising event causes him to look at his life and he makes substantial efforts to change and even to mend relationships. His quest may not be easy or faultless but it is still very satisfying. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Inspired by the true story of folk singer Steve Tilston, 'Danny Collins' is A Beautiful Film, that offers great emotional depth! And Al Pacino shines in the title role, proving once again that he's among the greatest we've ever had!

'Danny Collins' Synopsis: An aging rock star decides to change his life when he discovers a 40-year-old letter written to him by John Lennon.

'Danny Collins' is at heart, a sensitive father & son story, that's emotionally charged. I was moved & overwhelmed by Danny Collins's journey, not only with his son, but also with his friends, his profession & himself. Its a fascinating character, that's been bought to life, with dexterity.

Dan Fogelman's Screenplay is top-class. Its emotional & also humorous. Fogelman's Direction, on the other-hand, is simple, yet effective. Cinematography is good. Editing is consistently crisp. Costume Design is fine. Music by Ryan Adams & Theodore Shapiro is wonderful.

Performance-Wise: Pacino is extraordinary as Danny Collins. He sinks his teeth into the part & brings it out with flying colors. Annette Bening is sweet. Bobby Cannavale is in fine form, as well. Jennifer Garner is subdued, while The Great Christopher Plummer is impeccable in his brief bit.

On the whole, 'Danny Collins' is a winner all the way! Among the best films from 2015 yet!

I went into this movie not expecting much, although i love the cast outright. But i was entertained throughout because this movie has heart along with its humor. Writer-director Dan Fogelman's nicely-scripted plot unfolds at a decent pace, albeit a little predictably. Al Pacino, as usual, delivers a full-on performance which includes some decent singing and dancing. He is ably supported by Annette Bening as a reluctant love interest and Christopher Plummer as his faithful manager. The icing on this cake would be the soundtrack featuring songs by John Lennon, with the numbers beautifully worked in. Too bad that Jealous Guy couldn't be included.

This is one of those films when the title tells you nothing so, unless you see a trailer or have a recommendation, you could miss out on a real pleasure. It must have been tempting to use a title like "How A Lost Letter From John Lennon Enabled Danny Collins to Find Himself" but perhaps that would have said too much. Certainly the storyline is very loosely inspired by the true incident of English folk singer Steve Tilston's discovery that Lennon had written to him in 1971.

On the other hand, maybe knowing that the lead role is taken by Al Pacino would be enough for some people to view the movie, since this is an actor who consistently gives brilliant performances. Except that the character of Danny is much tenderer than most of Pacino's roles (think "The Godfather" movies all the way to "Righteous Kill") and the portrayal is much less histrionic than many of his earlier roles (think "Scarface" or "The Devil's Advocate"). Blow me, Pacino even sings in this film.

One of the many delights of "Danny Collins" though is that Pacino (now in his mid 70s) is not the only star. There are excellent performances from Christopher Plummer (even older in his mid 80s) as his agent, Bobby Cannavale as his son, Jennifer Garner as his daughter-in-law, and Annette Bening as a hotel manager. Writer and director Dan Fogelman has given good lines and meaningful roles to his ensemble cast and it pays off a treat. And we get to hear some Lennon classics.