Customer Reviews

Sean Penn: His Life and Times

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Having seen Sean Penn up close in Sam Shepard's The LATE HENRY MOSS, having flown up from San Diego, first-row, watching him and Nolte battle one another, was for me a once-in-a-lifetime experience that started, like the book, in the beginning: Taps, 'Fast Times,' 'Bad Boys'...this book is one long rambling conversation about the art of acting, the art of Penn, and all the details of his life. Integrity is a word that reappears and could be applied to choices this great actor has made, even by going to Iraq to see what was going on over there! We should all be curious enough to question. This is a book about stories, about what movies could have been made, should have been made, about paths crossing, told straight and sober. This is an actor who is getting better and better, more honest, organic, raw even. Just wait 'til 'Richard Nixon' comes your way, let alone the masterful last year's 'Mystic.' If you love this actor, love his performances (my brother's favorite is Kleinfeld in 'Carlito's,' mine: ALL, ok, I thought 'Hurlyburly' is as good as it gets to becoming scarily real). Get this book. If you love acting, and the stories of projects put together, riding on that integrity, staying close to what you believe in, this book on Penn is definitive, told by those real close, told by those who talk now by the great actor whose lineage is from the great ones (the great one who recently passed: Brando). I love this book.

Sean Penn seems frightfully young to have his biography in print, however, in terms of career, he is an old Hollywood hand, the proof -- is rather well documented by his contemporaries..Penn has been schlepping in showbiz for decades, with an eclectic/eccentric body of work, he started early and with certain purpose..And acting is overwhelmingly in his genes, his mother Eileen Ryan Penn was once a noteworthy stage queen, is in fact regarded in select theatrical circles as the quintessential Blanche Dubois, over and above even Vivien Leigh..Penn's father Leo was a tireless, trouble-shooting Hollywood television series director, known for the 60's hospital episodics like "Ben Casey," and "Doctor Kildare"..And Leo was the victim of an unfounded HUAC blacklist, that froze his career like a nuclear winter, having once been peripherally named as a Pinko sympathizer by a "friend"..In actuality, Leo was a decorated veteran, a tailgunner, having flown three dozen successful bomber missions during WWII..Ironic?..Most people don't know Eileen was both Irish, and Italian, and Leo was a non-practicing Russian Jew..You began to appreciate why Sean is naturally versatile..And Sean grew up in a Hollywood/Malibu household that supported the brothers in all their endeavors and passions, but don't wrongfully assume Sean was the benefactor of orchestrated nepotism, as Leo's kid..Sean studied his craft for years behind his parent's back, toiling in LA workshops, and relocated to a cockroach infested flat in New York to more seriously refine his skills..When strapped for cash, Penn camped out with other starving actors, slept on their couches for months on end, on both coasts, and in time made positive noise accepting showy parts in off-Broadway plays, relentlessly on the prowl for agency representation, that inched along like a North Sea iceberg..No joke, Sean was spurned by every major talent agency in the country at one juncture or another..In fact, when Penn's parents first saw him act, they asked themselves, does Sean realize he is so awful, yet, no doubt unafraid?..Obviously, Sean evolved into a dedicated method actor..And his coharts generously toss the words loyalty and integrity around to define his character..This biography is a series of interviews, an oral history by both Sean Penn and the many actors he's worked with over the years (ala Christopher Walken, Elizabeth McGovern)..You won't want to put this book down for an instant..It's a marvelous recap how Sean Penn made the grade from obscure "bad boy" actor to A-list bankable star, despite a disruptive detour with Madonna and Johnny Law..And a penetrating insight into how the "Hurly Burly" Hollywood system operates..Read it!

Sean Penn: His Life And Times - The Authorized Biography by journalist Richard T. Kelly is a fascinating biographical survey and "window" into the career and personal life of the accomplished actor and director Sean Penn. Exclusively documented and informatively written, Sean Penn: His Life And Times explores many interesting intricacies of the friendships, career moves, family and landmarks of Sean Penn's life, including interviews from his colleagues and friends Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper, Woody Allen, Susan Sarandon, Bono, Christopher Walken, Angelica Huston, and many more recognized and praised individuals. Very highly recommended reading for all Sean Penn fans, as well as Hollywood film buffs interested in behind-the-scenes realities of the Hollywood film industry. Sean Penn.

Reminiscent of the classic HEAR ME TALKIN' TO YOU by Nat Hentoff in which musicians themselves talk about their music, this is more about a single subject - SEAN PENN - and less about the craft of acting. To that extent it tends towards the hagiography but interspersed is much interesting insights into acting, the film making process, and 20th century history in the USA from the perspective of some very interesting characters not least of whom include the subject's father LEO PENN and mother EILEEN RYAN PENN both vital, fascinating, and vivid individuals. Quite a good read especially if you are a fan of PENN's films eg, THE FALCON AND THE SNOWMAN, MYSTIC RIVER and 21GRAMS

Richard does a great historical review of the Life and Times of the Penn family, Sean included. By the way "Piñón" means Pine Nut. It read like Harpos story, very entertaining and informative of the times depicted. Even that I personally think that Sean would do a better job helping people "In the Usa" so they could understand "Outside the Usa" better and make better judgements of how to help, why and when. Being in Haiti could be an interesting adventure in human madness, but nothing will be resolved, it's a cultural nightmare that will take more than good will, etc... So, a good insight into Hollywood, movie making, actors, producers and California living. Worth the read...

I just don't see Sean Penn as important, as brilliant or as accomplished, as he, the author and his 'colleagues' would want us to believe. But then again, he and his also well known history rewriting friends and I don't travel in the same conspiracy-theorist circles. I find his later decisions to 'not act' at certain points in his half-life-carrer as some of his most notable performances since such a big biography warranting deal is made of these profound Zen-like decisions. Had he waited until the other half of his life had played there just might be something to hold my interest and possibly allow for a twist with a surprise ending. There have been several notable performances during his 'brilliant' career but, overall, just because your lib club friends gush all over you doesn't a 'brilliant', 'accomplished' (non)actor make. I'm glad the book was formated chronologically offering me the oft-preferred (though sadly not taken) option to skip the chaff. Maybe, when Mr. Penn is in his 70's or 80's, a Part II covering the second half of his life will offer up some reason for the printing of both parts 1 and 2, but only then...maybe.