Nick Flynn (Paul Dano) is lost but hopes to be a writer. He takes a job at a homeless shelter in Boston, and then later finds his father, Jonathan (Robert De Niro) taking residence.

Jonathan is self professed great writer and master of all. He is an absentee dad. He is unlikeable, annoying, and prideful. Nick is a weak individual and just can't take Jonathan anymore. Paul Dano is once again playing the flustered guy. He is not likable and he is too pathetic. It is impossible to root for him. If this was about the mentally unstable Robert De Niro, it could be an award winning performance. It's somewhat wasted on a film about his son.

The film starts out with two subplots and first person narrations. Jonathan Flynn (Robert De Niro),cab driver, ex-con fancies himself a writer. He carries with pride a rejection letter that praise his work. He has a drinking and reality problem as he proclaims his situation is to "gather excellent material." Everything he writes is a masterpiece or so he constantly reminds us.

His son Nick (Paul Dano) lives in the same city of Boston. He writes poetry, the type of tripe you hear at some poetry house that you think is dark and meaningful. He finds himself working at a homeless shelter, "the last step before the morgue" and it doesn't take much to figure out how these subplots come together. Nick is constantly re-examining his life and childhood he spent being raised by his mother (Julianne Moore),without a father.

The film was well acted. However, the message was all over the place. "It is a long climb up and a quick step down." was one message I got. Whatever father/son relationship message there should have been was lost with quick transitions. Nick's drug addiction was done rather quickly and meaninglessly.

There is one of those dramas indie lovers will praise, but the regular Joe will find lacks solid entertainment value.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex, male nudity.

(Credit IMDb) Working in a Boston homeless shelter, Nick Flynn re- encounters his father, a con man and self-proclaimed poet. Sensing trouble in his own life, Nick wrestles with the notion of reaching out yet again to his dad.

I saw this one a while ago. I rented it due to DeNiro's presence, and didn't expect that much. I was surprisingly engaged throughout, and it was quite a moving film. I was especially moved by the somewhat chaotic and sad relationship between Dano & his mom (Julianne Moore) she was such a tragic character. I know the key relationship is the estranged relationship between Nick & Jonathan (Dano & DeNiro) but I felt the relationship between Dano & Moore was just as effective. Paul Dano makes for a great lost soul, and I was easily able to empathize with him. Robert DeNiro gives one of his best performances in recent memory as an alcoholic. He's not very sympathetic, but his performance is a powerful one. This movie is very good. It has fantastic performances, and a great story. See it

7.5/10