MovieChat Forums > Danny Collins (2015) Discussion > The film is dishonest

The film is dishonest

posted 9 years ago by harmanjitsingh
9 replies | jump to latest

Rich successful man is tired of being fake and is roused by an artifice to become more authentic, caring and creative. Then he falls for the first woman that he comes across. That is supposedly a good, authentic event.

What is interesting in this film is the hidden glorification of money, despite the overt message that love is more important than success.

Notice the camera angles for his sports cars.

Notice the depiction of the private jet and the palatial house.

Notice the grand piano (the various superfluous scenes where it is being carried here and there) and the meaningless giving up of it. (After all he still plans to remain a musician)

Notice the scenes where he tips hundreds of dollars.

Notice the sports car and the spontaneous, but ostentatious, renunciation of it, and the remark that the car is wonderful and the recipient should know what he is getting (as if anybody is doubting that).

The purpose of these scenes and the not-so-subtle glorification is to build up the wealth-based persona of a man who therefore is in need of saving and in need of "true love" of a woman. It is a female fantasy that a rich, accomplished man will eventually just fall into their laps by a twist of fate and all their travails will be a thing of the past.

After all, the man is a musician and an artist. Or was. So maybe, he is a catch. What does he immediately see in the hotel manager that he asks her out to dinner?

The answer: nothing. Yeah she is slim and cute (for her age). But more than that, what? The man is ready to ask her out even before she appears on the scene.

I recognize that the common female fantasy is for the man to be a catch, but for the woman to be just lucky. For something to be demanded of the woman will narrow and reduce the fantasy's appeal with the female demographic.

I have no quarrel with films or literature which cater to feminine (or for that matter, masculine) fantasies. But I do frown at subterfuge: when a film is ostensibly about love versus wealth, but when it actually is about wealth and hence love.

[–] aniak1717 9 years ago

I am surprised to be commenting on this, but I just had to: this is the most intelligent, well thought-out post I have read on this forum in about ten years.

I just watched this movie, and despite usually being very aware of this sort of subtle sexism (and other hidden problems you mention), somehow I didn't notice this time... I feel a bit cheated. Probably because rock stars are my blind spot, I suspended my cognitive functions just a little too much.

Anyway, very well said.

[–] thecure-1 9 years ago

Even though I really liked the movie I have to admit that you make very good points.
It is a heck of a lot easier to make "peace" with your past if you are loaded with money !!!

[–] serabb 9 years ago

It's to show he is a MEGA STAR!

[–] violentauntie 9 years ago

The film is a true reflection of people then. All story is fantasy and glorification of heroic tendencies which in fact do not really exist in life despite the fact that we know the value well and have debated right and wrong for thousands of years, screw you Jack I'm alright is the nature of man, not the hero stories we tell ourselves and use to sell others. Of course there are exceptions but they are always and only told with heroic filter of story.

[–] kw9920 9 years ago

I think you're oversimplifying the film. It isn't that Danny wants to reject his money and fame 100% in favor of love. It isn't one thing or the other. He just wants more love and real things in his life. He obviously still enjoys his fame and money and what he can do with them, but that doesn't negate that he wants more real things. If he can use his advantages to help those he loves (or likes) then that's something he can do. Notice that he is fully aware that, although they help, they can't replace real things (he says to his son, "you'll still go to heaven and I'll still go to hell, because you can't buy redemption"). I also think he is fully aware that he isn't necessarily going to get the Annette Benning character. So, I think we can find a less ambitious but still meaningful message here: life isn't perfect, but we can still try to be better.

[–] agkato-1 9 years ago

^^^^ +1000 this!

[–] Boliwill 8 years ago

Wow imagine that a dishonest film from hollywierd!

[–] blanche-2 8 years ago

I didn't find it dishonest. I think the emphasis on wealth was to show how much he had though he had a cheating trophy wife, a son he doesn't know and who hates the thought of him, and he was someone who was considered an excellent songwriter and lyricist who goes around singing the song Baby Doll. I have to say despite all the trappings of money that were shown, it all seemed pretty miserable.

When he receives the letter from Lennon, he realizes that he needs to make some changes, get to know his family, write again, and even go out with a nice woman. It's not as easy as he thinks it will be. As Christopher Plummer tells Danny's son, he has a good heart. Yes he does - he just wasn't in touch with it.

[–] [email protected] (1367) 8 years ago

agreed.