Pairing up rising young actor Paul Dano with seasonsed and respected veteran Robert De Niro, in a film directed by Chris Weitz ("About A Boy," "In Good Company") and powered by a soundtrack of fresh music by Badly Drawn Boy, "Being Flynn" has the ingredients in place to be something memorable. And as the film opens this weekend in limited release, and begins rolling out a cross the country, we've got a few things to help spur your excitement for the film. But first, here's just a brief recap of what it's all about.
Nick Flynn (Dano) is a young writer seeking to define himself. He misses his late mother, Jody (Julianne Moore), and her loving nature. But his father, Jonathan, is not even a memory, as Nick has not seen the man in 18 years. Jonathan Flynn (De Niro) has long defined himself as a great writer, "a master storyteller." After abandoning his wife and child, Jonathan scrapes through life on his own terms, and ends up serving time in prison for cashing forged checks. After prison, he drives a cab for a number of years, but with his drinking and eccentricities now accelerating, he loses his job. Despite the occasional grandiose letter to his son, he has remained absent from Nick's life.
Suddenly facing eviction from his apartment, Jonathan impulsively reaches out to Nick and the two come face-to-face. The older man is eloquent and formidable; overwhelmed, Nick nonetheless prepares to integrate his father into his own life. But, as quickly as he materialized, Jonathan flits away again. Moving on, Nick takes a job at a homeless shelter, where he learns from Captain (Wes Studi) and Joy (Lili Taylor) how to relate to the guests who arrive night after night. Seeing the homeless – some permanently, some temporarily so – and hearing their stories, Nick finds purpose in his own life and work. He also sustains a romance with a co-worker, Denise (Olivia Thirlby). Then one night, Jonathan arrives, seeking a bed, and Nick's senses of self and compassion falter. To give the two of them a shot at a real future, Nick will have to decide whom to seek redemption for first.
So, to help break in the release of the film this week, we've got a prize pack to give away to one lucky reader including: the movie tie-in book by Nick Flynn, the soundtrack by Badly Drawn Boy and a $50 movie theater gift card. We've also 3 more copies of the soundtrack as runner up prizes. So how to do you win? Email us your name, address and the title of the book "Being Flynn" is based on.
Update: Contest is closed, winners will be contacted via email. Good luck! Contest open to U.S. residents only. Watch the trailer below and see "Being Flynn" when it opens on March 2nd.