Movie · 2015 · Music, Comedy, Drama · 1h 47m · R · English
Curator score: 3.4/10 (35.3K ratings)
A letter from John Lennon changed his life
Overview
An ageing hard-living 1970s rock star decides to change his life when he discovers a 40-year-old undelivered letter written to him by John Lennon.
Ratings
Curator score: 3.4/10
IMDb: 7.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
Metacritic: 58
TMDB: 6.7/10
Director
Dan Fogelman
Production
Shivhans Pictures, Big Indie Pictures, Handwritten Films
Cast
Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Christopher Plummer, Jennifer Garner, Bobby Cannavale, Nick Offerman, Josh Peck, Katarina Čas, Giselle Eisenberg, Melissa Benoist, Scott Lawrence, Brian Thomas Smith, Michael Patrick McGill, Kiff VandenHeuvel, Eric Michael Roy, Davide Donatiello, Eric Lange, Aarti Mann, Joshua Sternlicht, Travis Johns
Where to watch
Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A warm, sentimental crowd-pleaser with a strong Al Pacino turn, catchy music, and enough emotional honesty to rise above its familiar setup. It’s predictable and occasionally schmaltzy, but the father-son material, supporting cast, and easygoing charm make it worthwhile.
Best for
viewers who like feel-good dramedies with music
fans of late-career Al Pacino performances
audiences who enjoy redemption stories and family reconciliation
people in the mood for sentimental but sincere crowd-pleasers
Skip if
you dislike obvious sentimentality or melodrama
you want a gritty or realistic music-industry story
you’re allergic to predictable redemption arcs
you prefer comedies with sharper, less earnest humor
Overview
Danny Collins is built on a simple, very effective hook: what happens when a washed-up rock star finally gets a chance to become the person he should have been decades earlier? The movie leans into that premise with a lot of warmth, some easy jokes, and a surprisingly tender center. It’s not subtle, but it is sincere, and that sincerity goes a long way.
Worth noting
Al Pacino is the main attraction, and he’s having a genuinely good time here. The role lets him play charisma, regret, vanity, and vulnerability without the film ever asking him to disappear into the part. The supporting cast helps keep the movie grounded, especially in the family scenes, where the emotional payoff feels earned even when the plotting is familiar.
Bottom line
The movie does drift into sentimentality and a few of the comic beats land better than others, but it remains easy to like. If you’re open to a soft-focus redemption story with music, father-son tension, and a big heart, this is a pleasant watch that leaves a better aftertaste than its reputation suggests.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Rafael "Mister Movie" Jovine (3.5★) · 111 likes
Even though Pacino's career hasn't been the same for a while now, sometimes I like the directions and roles he chooses for himself. My point is, even after his performance in Jack and Jill, I didn't expect to see him singing and be good at it.
To my surprise, this movie is very entertaining and sweet. Both the music and the script seem to fall a lot into the sappy and even melodramatic category, even Jennifer Garner seems to be… more
𝚮𝖆𝖗𝖑𝖊𝖖𝖚𝖎𝖓𝖆𝖉𝖊 🙏🏻 (4★) · 108 likes
Very, very sweet, heartfelt film about flawed but good people. It’s funny that this is probably one of Pacino’s recent most down to earth, deeply human performances, considering that he plays a larger than life celebrity.
Everyone in the cast is so good but Pacino/Cannavale scenes are simply sublime (what a beautiful ending!).
matt lynch (2.5★) · 80 likes
Gotta say, if John Lennon wrote me a fan letter, I too would have it framed and then blow rails off it.
Allison M. 🌱 (3★) · 47 likes
After being blown away by Life Itself from filmmaker Dan Fogelman, I decided to check out his other feature.
Al Pacino plays an aging singer. He can't really sing, but he has loads of charisma. Kind of like Bob Dylan (who I love), although his pop hit "Baby Doll" kind of channels "Sweet Caroline". He has a young girlfriend, estranged son (Bobby Cannavale), and love interest (Annette Bening). He plays the ultimate jerk with a heart of gold.
I enjoyed… more
Chris (4★) · 47 likes
Many reasons to watch this one:
Christopher Plummer being brutally honest and delivering a piano.
Jennifer Garner saying "oh, fuck me," as she opens the door.
Bobby Cannavale and the anger he has beneath the surface (and the way his voice almost breaks when he talks about the Mets).
Annette Benning and pretty much everything she does here.
And Al Pacino, delivering a performance that never seems to strike a wrong note.
Also, the final scene. Goddamned father/son moments always win me over.