Flawless (1999 film)
Flawless | |
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MGM Distribution Co. | |
Release date |
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Running time | 112 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $27 million[1] |
Box office | $4,488,529[1] |
Flawless is a 1999 American crime comedy-drama film written and directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The film is set in an
Plot
Decorated and retired security guard Walter Koontz lives in a downtown apartment complex, where he is in constant conflict with drag queen Rusty and his friends. He frequents a night club, from which he conducts a superficial sexual relationship with Karen. At the same time he rejects Tia, deeming her a 'whore'.
One night crime boss "Mr. Z" and two goons come to the building looking for the money Amber's boyfriend stole from his organization. Having heard gunshots upstairs, Walt suffers a
Rusty desires to have
Walt tells Rusty that a former colleague of him and Tommy abused his friendship by hitching a ride to the airport, after having stolen a fortune from their employer. Rusty responds with his own confession: He had taken Mr. Z's money after the police had vacated the building to pay for her surgery, meaning the singing lessons had been a front. Feeling used again, Walt leaves in anger. Building superintendent Leo, who had been threatened by Mr. Z., opens Rusty's medical bill, realizing he has the money. Walt goes back to the nightclub for the first time since his stroke and makes up with Tia. When he returns Leo tells him to ignore any sounds he might hear that night. The three criminals ambush Rusty in his apartment, and Walt goes upstairs again. Together Rusty and Walt manage to kill them. The wounded Walt is loaded into an ambulance, after which Rusty hands the paramedics the cash to get him the best care available. They renew their friendship and singing lessons.
Cast
- Robert De Niro as Walter Koontz
- Philip Seymour Hoffman as Rusty
- Skipp Sudduth as Tommy
- Barry Miller as Leonard Wilcox
- Chris Bauer as Jacko
- Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Cha-Cha
- Nashom Wooden as Amazing Grace credited as Nashom Benjamin
- Daphne Rubin-Vega as Tia
- Rory Cochrane as Pogo
- Scott Allen Cooper as Ivana
- Jude Ciccolella as Detective Noonan
- Mina Bern as Mrs. Spivak
- Penny Balfour as Cristal
- Victor Rasuk (uncredited) as Neighborhood boy
- Richie Lamontagne as Carmine the Pizza Boy
- Luis Saguar as Mr. Z
- Mitchell Lichtenstein as Gay Republican Spokesperson
- John Enosas Sonny, Rusty's abusive boyfriend
- Karina Arroyave as Amber
- Wanda De Jesus as Karen
- Madhur Jaffrey as Nirmala
- John R. Corcoran as Physical Therapist LaShaun
Soundtrack
- "Planet Love" – Taylor Dayne (Allee Willis; Bruce Roberts)
- "Half-Breed" – Cher (Al Capps; Mary Dean)
- "Lady Marmalade" (Live) – Patti LaBelle (Bob Crewe; Kenny Nolan)
- "When the Money's Gone" – Bruce Roberts feat. Elton John & Kristine W (Bruce Roberts; Donna Weiss)
- "G.A.Y." – Geri Halliwell (Geri Halliwell; Watkins; Wilson)
- "When Will You Learn" – Boy George (G. O'Dowd; John Themis; Mike Koglin)
- "La Chica Marita" – Marcus Schenkenberg (J. Beauvoir; T. Catania)
- "Turn Me Over" – Wonderbox (Monica Murphy)
- "Lady Marmalade" – All Saints (Bob Crewe; Kenny Nolan)
- "Madonna)
- "Can't Stop Love" – Soul Solution (Bobby Guy; Ernie Lake)
- "Give It to Me" – Drama Kidz (Danny Sullivan; E. Holterhoff; Jellybean)
- "The Name Game" – Shirley Ellis (Lincoln Chase; Shirley Ellis)
- "Whenever You Fall" – Taylor Dayne (Taylor Dayne; B.G. Craziose; Ernie Lake; Janice Robinson)
- "The Neighborhood" – Bruce Roberts; Gohl; Sarah McLachlan (Bruce Roberts)
- "Tia's Tango" – Bruce Roberts; Gohl; Sarah McLachlan (Bruce Roberts)
- "Luciano" – Bruce Roberts; Gohl; Sarah McLachlan (Bruce Roberts)[2]
Production
Casting
Hoffman considered De Niro to be the most imposing actor that he had ever worked with, noting how De Niro had the ability during filming to "listen" to him as an actor, and in turn, make Hoffman respond similarly because of his unique style of acting. Hoffman felt that his exposure to that level of acting profoundly improved his own abilities as an actor.[3]
Reception
Review-aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes reports a 40% approval rating based on 57 reviews, with an average rating of 5.4/10,[4] and a consensus reading: "Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman's Flawless performances live up to this dramedy's title; unfortunately, they're outweighed by the misguided picture surrounding them." Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of "C" on scale of A+ to F.[5]
Hoffman was praised by critics for his ability to avoid clichés in playing such a delicate role.[6] Emily St. James, a transgender film critic, praised the warmth of his portrayal of Rusty, commenting that "Hoffman's work is quiet, moving, and humanistic, and it provides the film with a core Schumacher doesn't remotely earn. No matter; this is another movie worth seeing almost entirely for the titanic work Hoffman does near its center."[6] Roger Ebert highlighted Hoffman as "one of the best new character actors", remarking that he was "able to take a flamboyant role and find the quiet details in it".[7]
Hoffman received a
References
- ^ a b "Flawless (1999) - Financial Information". The Numbers.
- ^ "Flawless: Music From & Inspired by the MGM Motion Picture". Discogs.
- ^ Mottram, James (26 January 2003). "Interview: Philip Seymour Hoffman: Tales of Hoffman". Scotland on Sunday. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
- ^ "Flawless". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ^ "Cinemascore". Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
- ^ a b St. James, Emily (February 4, 2014). "In Flawless, Philip Seymour Hoffman gave warmth to a transgender stereotype". The A.V. Club. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (November 29, 1999). "Flawless". Rogerebert.com. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
- ^ "The 6th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
External links
- Flawless at IMDb
- Flawless at Box Office Mojo
- Flawless at Rotten Tomatoes