Product Details

• Actors: Robert De Niro, Paul Dano, Julianne Moore, Eddie Rouse
• Directors: Paul Weitz
• Format: Blu-ray, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: July 10, 2012
• Run Time: 102 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B007VXT9SS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,766 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Robert De Niro, Paul Dano and Julianne Moore give powerhouse performances in this compelling exploration of the unbreakable yet fragile bonds between parent and child, written and directed by Paul Weitz (About a Boy). Nick Flynn (Dano) is a young writer seeking to define himself. His father Jonathan (De Niro), however, scrapes through life on his own terms and has not seen his son in 18 years. Taking a job at a homeless shelter, Nick finds purpose in his own life and work until one night Jonathan arrives seeking a bed. To give the two of them a shot at a real future, Nick wrestles with the notion of reaching out to his dad in this "undeniably powerful" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) adaptation of Nick Flynn's award-winning memoir Another Bulls-t Night in Suck City.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Radiant, Touching Memoir of Nick Flynn Brought to the Screen July 15, 2012

By Grady Harp HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

Few films concerning father/son relationships have been able to produce the emotional impact of this masterfully written and directed and acted BEING FLYNN. Paul Weitz directs and adapted the 2004 memoir by Nick Flynn "Another Bulls__t Night in Suck City: A Memoir" and brought together a superlative cast that just may be Robert De Niro's finest hour. Nick Flynn deserves the credit for this articulate tale of his own life: he was born and grew up in Scituate, Massachusetts, south of Boston. His parents divorced when he was young and his mother committed suicide when he was 22. He drifted through several jobs before starting work at a homeless shelter in Boston, where at age twenty-seven, he met his estranged, homeless father for the first time. That is the core of the film.

The nature of the film works very well: we simultaneously meet Jonathan Flynn (Robert DeNiro), a man who believes he is `America's greatest writer along side Mark Twain and JD Salinger, who lives life day to day in a drunken stupor, driving taxis, acting out con games etc until he becomes homeless, and after seeking shelter from old friends he has neglected, he ends up in a homeless shelter. We also meet his estranged son Nick Flynn (Paul Dano, in a breakout performance) who is striving to discover who he is, perceiving himself as a writer but unsuccessful with relationships: Nick's mother Jody (Julianne Moore) we see only in flashbacks because she committed suicide, and his only communication with his absent father has been through letters. Also homeless, Nick moves with with two characters (Eddie Rouse and Steve Cirbus) who manage to help Nick find a job in a homeless shelter. As Nick adjusts to working at the shelter he comes into connect with a potential girlfriend Denise (Olivia Thirlby) and begins to feel as though his life has some degree of meaning. The jolt comes when Jonathan seeks shelter in the homeless shelter where Nick works and it is this coming together of two bruised and pained people who happen to be father and son that sets in motion the resolution of the story. Both men are pitiful but both have redeeming characteristics and it is this struggling coming together that makes the film breathe. In addition to the brilliant acting of the main characters, there are also exceptionally memorable roles by Lili Taylor, Victor Rasuk, Thomas Middleditch, Wes Studi, Chris Chalk and others.

Not only is the film pitch perfect in nearly every detail, but it also gives the viewer the opportunity to consider the plight of the homeless around us. How many tragic stories like this are untold or never will be known? When a film can produce that degree of involvement with the audience it goes beyond simply being a film and becomes art - art makes us consider, think, and change. Grady Harp, July 12

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "A POWERFULLY MOVING PORTRAIT OF FATHERS AND SONS!" July 12, 2012

By Geraldine Ahearn TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

Based on a true story, this remarkable involving journey of relationships between fathers and sons captures your attention immediately. One father, Robert DeNiro, trys to reach out and bond with his son that he hasn't seen for a long time. His son is still feeling the loss of his mother, and trying to enter into a romantic relationship with his girlfriend. The last thing the boy wants to see is his father. This is an emotional drama as well as a comedy. Serious moments and funny moments. One young man is hurting emotionally as his father continues to struggle. The film portrays a second chance in life, inspiration, and a step forward in faith. Great acting performance, especially with De Niro, bittersweet story,and an emotional roller-coaster ride. I'd watch this again. Highly Entertaining And Highly Recommended!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Story of Human Resilience July 14, 2012

By D. Maharisi

Format:Amazon Instant Video|Amazon Verified Purchase

I haven't read Nick Flynn's memoir yet, but it's at the top of my list now. While I'm sure this movie abbreviates Flynn's struggles, it amazes me how much one person can endure and still come out the other side with such a wonderful work of art. Anyone who has dealt with the trauma of a lost parent, a mentally ill parent and the suffocating voids they leave must see this movie.