I’m not sure if Paul Dano is a good actor or not, but I am sure that I’m not a fan. I am sure that Robert DeNiro does good work, but not since Raging Bull has he been transformative. Like Pacino, a lot of his current success depends on him being DeNiro, and his audience liking DeNiro’s schtick, except I prefer Pacino over DeNiro. When I started Being Flynn, I approached it like a cat approaches an orange-my face was puckered up with a mixture of wary distaste and curiosity, but Being Flynn is an extraordinary story once you settle into the anything but happy reunion between father and son. Being Flynn tackles some thorny subjects trenchantly and accurately. I don’t think Hallmark even exists as a company in this world even if it is based on a memoir. Being Flynn is about how not cute mental illness is, how poverty can suddenly overtake you, whether it is possible to break destructive cycles, being haunted that you are your parent(s) and how working in a job with the less fortunate can be better than therapy in discovering and resolving your own issues. Being Flynn hit really close to home, and I kind of wish that I saw it on the big screen. It is certainly not a perfect movie. The beginning is shaky-proximity to people does not always equal immediate friendships or romantic relationships, but I’ll sign a waiver on that cinematic convenience. I loved Being Flynn and highly recommend it.