FLAWLESS [1999 / 2015] [Blu-ray] [USA Release] Nobody’s Perfect. Everybody’s Flawless!
When the once highly decorated police officer Walter Koontz [Robert De Niro] suffers a stroke while attempting to aid a neighbour, an unorthodox form of therapy is prescribed to help him overcome a resulting speech impediment. The suggested therapy becomes even unorthodox when Walter asks his neighbour, Rusty [Philip Seymour Hoffman], a flamboyant drag queen with musical talent and the past recipient of Walter’s ire, for help. The unlikely arrangement soon mellows Walter into a grudging friendship in writer/director Joel Shumacher’s ‘FLAWLESS,’ which features supporting performances from Wilson Jermaine Heredia [‘Rent’], Barry Miller [‘Saturday Night Fever’ and ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’] and Chris Bauer [‘Face/Off’ and TV’s ‘True Blood’].
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1999 San Diego Film Critics Society Awards: Win: Best Supporting Actor for Philip Seymour Hoffman. 2000 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Nomination: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for Philip Seymour Hoffman. 2000 GLAAD Media Awards: Nomination: Outstanding Film. 2000 Verona Love Screens Film Festival: Win: Best Actor for Philip Seymour Hoffman.
FILM FACT No.2: Philip Seymour Hoffman considered Robert De Niro to be the most imposing actor that he had ever worked with, noting how Robert De Niro had the ability during the shooting to "listen" to him as an actor, and in turn, make Philip Seymour 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.[
Cast: Robert De Niro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Miller, Chris Bauer, Skipp Sudduth, Wilson Jermaine Heredia (Cha-Cha), Nashom Benjamin (Amazing Grace), Scott Allen Cooper (Ivana), Rory Cochrane, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Vincent Laresca, Karina Arroyave, John Enos III, Jude Ciccolella, Mina Bern, Wanda De Jesus, Madhur Jaffrey, Mark Margolis, Shiek Mahmud-Bey, Luis Saguar, Kyle Rivers, Sammy Rhee, Hyunsoo Lee, Richie LaMontagne, Penny Balfour, Winter Ave Zoli, Raven O (Notorious F.A.G.), Joseph Arias (Stormy), Jackie Beat (Gypsy), Blake Willett, Ingrid Rivera, Craig Braun, John Doumanian, Melissa Osborn, John Contratti, Stacy Highsmith, Rod Rodriguez (Lesbian), Alice Williams (Lesbian), Antonette Schwartzberg, Hamilton De Oliveira, Logan McCall, John E. Mack, John R. Corcoran, Matt Merchant, Kevin Aviance (Singer), CoCo LaChine (Singer), José Ángel García (Singer), Bruce Roberts (Singer), Al Marz, Michelle Robinson, Nina Sonja Peterson, Larry Marx, Mitchell Lichtenstein (Gay Republican Spokesperson), John Fink (Gay Republican Lawyer), Bret Kropp (Drag Queen), Cooley, Constance Boardman, Lucy Cerezo-Scully, Al Thompson, Ava Lee Scott (Working Girl), Christian Boeving (uncredited), Natalie Carter (uncredited), Michael Harkins (Drag Pageant Contestant) (uncredited), Denice De Jon Nortez (Tango-Dancer) (uncredited) and Victor Rasuk (Kid from the Neighbourhood) (uncredited)
Director: Joel Schumacher
Producers: Joel Schumacher, Jane Rosenthal, Neil Machlis and Robert De Niro (uncredited)
Screenplay: Joel Schumacher
Composer: Bruce Roberts
Cinematography: Declan Quinn (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Subtitles: None
Running Time: 112 minutes
Region: Region A/1
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer / Olive Films
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: Joel Schumacher’s ‘FLAWLESS’ potentially could be a really disastrous film, but like a butterfly turns into a totally enjoyable and entertaining film and one because of the warmth and humanity of Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman, who give the two leading characters something you can believe in. Part of the reason is Philip Seymour Hoffman’s late 1990s breakthrough, as one of America’s premier character actors. ‘FLAWLESS’ joins same brilliant genre as ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ and ‘Magnolia’ in cinemas at the end of 1999 to announce him as a considerable talent working at the height of his powers.
A drag queen Rusty [Philip Seymour Hoffman] saving up for a sex change and a stroke victim who happens to be a retired cop are not your average Hollywood heroes. But the performances aren't average either. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robert De Niro exceed all expectations, which for them are saying something.
Director Joel Schumacher has made some very disappointing films like [‘Dying Young’ and ‘Batman & Robin’] and some surprisingly good ones like [‘Falling Down’ and ‘A Time To Kill] and started life as a costume designer, before becoming a screenwriter for films like [‘Car Wash’ and ‘The Wiz] and eventual became a director. Style is obviously important to him. Director Joel Schumacher to work in the mainstream cinema and yet has an edgy reputation, as if secretly yearning for low-budget independence.
Walter Koontz [Robert De Niro] an ultraconservative, retired security guard lives in a cheap rundown hotel in New York's Lower East Side, in the bad quarter of New York and it is his neighbourhood. He knows everyone and, since his wife passed away, feels comfortable there, except for those gay people in the room upstairs, who make such a racket with their music and nonsense.
One night there are shots and sounds of fighting on the floor above. Walter Koontz takes his gun and goes out to investigate. A drug dealer's heavy mob is tearing the place apart in search for some stolen money. Already, a prostitute has been killed but Walter Koontz who suffers a stroke while trying to help a neighbour in trouble, doesn't make it because he collapses on the stairs from his stroke and is rushed to hospital. He ends up with paralysed vocal cords and in turn refuses to leave his apartment for therapy.
Rusty [Philip Seymour Hoffman] lives in the apartment looking down on Walter Koontz's apartment, where he rehearses his club act with the other girls (guys). He has a sharp tongue, a dazzling wit and a deep desire to become a woman, but beneath the gay repartee and camp high jinks, he is very lonely and sad. Walter Koontz struggles to come to terms with his stroke, agonised by its debilitating effect on his ability to walk and talk. In desperation, he goes to Rusty for singing lessons, and this hard-core conservative policeman is very reluctant to ask for this drag queen’s help, but in the end realises all negative attitudes on both persons part, will not solve their out spoken views on each other.
Rusty confides to Walter Koontz that he has hidden the gangster’s money in a dressmaker's dummy so he can now afford a sex-change operation. Walter Koontz recovers sufficiently to dance at his regular bar with a hostess whom he had previously snubbed. That night, hearing Rusty being beaten by the thugs, who suspects him of having their money, he finally intervenes. Walter Koontz and Rusty fight off their thug attackers and shoot’s them, but Walter Koontz is wounded and is rushed off to the hospital and Rusty gets into the ambulance and does a good deed, but of course you will have to watch the Blu-ray disc, as it will spoil the ending.
‘FLAWLESS’ is a film that is about performances from two fantastic leading men and not so much about the story or the plot itself. This is a film about how a relationship grows between two very different people, who have opposing stereotypical attitude and how they both work together to overcome their very different problems. Robert De Niro is back to his best after some very average films and the acting from Phillip Seymour Hoffman is just totally outstanding and should have received some kind of Award. I have seen Phillip Seymour Hoffman in other films such as ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘Magnolia’ and was impressed then, but this is definitely his best to date. I have always loved this film 100% ever since I had the inferior quality DVD and I think you will to. Don’t miss out, go out and purchase this Blu-ray disc, you will not be at all disappointed.
FLAWLESS MUSIC TRACK LIST
LADY MARMALADE (Written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan) [Performed by the cast, with additional vocals by Bruce Roberts]
YOU MAKE ME FEEL (Mighty Real) (Written by Sylvester and James Wirrick) [Performed by the cast, with additional vocals by Bruce Roberts]
HALF BREED (Written by Al Capps and Mary Dean) [Performed by Nashom Benjamin]
ASHLEY’S SONG (Written by Joel Schumacher, Bruce Roberts and Rory Cochrane) [Performed by Rory Cochrane]
TASHA’S SONG (Written by Joel Schumacher, Bruce Roberts and Rory Cochrane) [Performed by Rory Cochrane]
STOUTHEARTED MEN (from 1940 film New Moon) (Written by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II) [Performed by Nelson Eddy]
PLANET LOVE (Written by Bruce Roberts and Allee Willis) [Performed by Taylor Dayne]
THE NAME GAME (Written by Lincoln Chase and Shirley Ellis)
Blu-ray Image Quality – The film’s theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 is faithfully produced with a beautiful 1080p image presentation. Sharpness is very good, compared to my inferior DVD disc, except when focus is deliberately distorted for some physiological effects. Colours are well rendered, especially with some lovely skin tones and nice detail in hair and clothes in close-ups. Black levels are very good, but sometimes fair due to some inconsistencies in the contrast applied to the imagery, and there are occasional bits of dirt and dust that can be momentarily distracting. But despite these slight negative anomalies, it is still good for a film that was released in 1999.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio sound mix doesn’t get the most out of the New York City locations remaining mostly front centric, apart from occasional music cues in the drag club and Robert De Niro’s dance club. Dialogue has been nicely recorded and exists in the centre channel. There are no problems with hiss or any other aural anomalies. But due to some quiet moments in the film, I had to turn up my volume, especially when Robert De Niro was mumbling at the start of the film after his stroke, when he was talking to Phillip Seymour Hoffman, but despite this Olive Films has made a really good effort.
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Theatrical Trailer [1999] [1080i] [16:9] 2:28] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘FLAWLESS.’
Finally, Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman remain the best reasons to check out this 1999's culture-clash drama ‘FLAWLESS,’ and it really will pull at your heart strings a great deal, as it was intended to do so, and you will definitely experience some rollercoaster ride of emotions as the acting is that brilliant. The main actors do a most brilliant fine performances with the material at hand, but the script could have done with some tweaking slightly and could of done with more fleshing out in order to truly become something memorable, but despite this, I really loved this film and so pleased it was finally released onto the Blu-ray disc, as it was well worth the wait. Fans of the main actors, as well as the other actors, can enjoy a well above average rendering of this film and despite its gay theme, it will bring a joy to your melting heart, especially with all the stunning acting performances. If you haven't seen this film, then I think it is well worth picking up and purchasing it. I can see myself revisiting it in the near future again and definitely showing it to my friends, who may be similarly unaware of its existence. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
