Al Pacino made a lot of films over the years where he played cops or, more often, crooks and mobsters. As a result, he has through his choices, typecast himself just a bit. Additionally, so often in these sorts of roles, he is over the top...bigger than life, that's for sure. So, in light of this, it was a delight to see him in "Danny Collins"...a very nice change of pace.

When the story begins, Danny is a world famous singer...much like a Neil Diamond or Tom Jones. But he also is pretty much coasting through life...existing but not living. After several failed marriages and a substance abuse addiction, he is a somewhat pitiful man despite his adoring fans.

After his birthday party, his agent (Christopher Plummer) hands him a letter that should have arrived for him decades before...a letter of encouragement from John Lennon himself! Well, the letter has an unexpected impact on Danny...and he decides to stop his whirlwind life and try to make up for some of his biggest mistakes in life. The biggest mistake is fathering a boy long ago...and never seeing him. The second biggest is his abandoning song writing long ago. Another is his drinking and drugs. This film is about his attempts to deal with each...and attempts is the operative word!

The film has some marvelous acting and direction. While Pacino is no great singer (in interviews he was reported to apologize for it), he was wonderful in the lead...and less over-the-top than you'd expect. Overall, a wonderful 'little' film...and perhaps Pacino's attempt to do something new, just like Danny.

By the way, the story itself was inspired by a letter from Lennon and Yoko which arrived decades later to a young singer named Steve Stilston....though I am sure MANY details were changed for the film.

Al Pacino takes his weathered being to a different role. He is a rich rocker, left over from the 70's, who has managed to continue to sell out huge venues, even though he continues to march out the same tired songs that he did years before. I suppose Neil Diamond is a bit like this. That aside, one day he comes into possession of a letter that was supposed to have been delivered to him; it is a letter from John Lennon of the Beatles. It requests contact with Danny. However, some thirty years pass before his manager is able to get it for him as a birthday present. This leads him to try to make changes in his life. Two things seem to be at the center. First, he wants to return to songwriting, something he was good at once; secondly, he wishes to connect with his son whom he has never met. This is a rocky road and it is an interesting set of events that take place. He meets a manager of a Hilton Hotel, played by Annette Benning. He is attracted to her and a sort of soul connection develops. He has lived it up with booze, drugs, young women, and other indulgences, but now he has to exorcise those demons to move on. That is what the movie is about. By the way, the soundtrack is filled with wonderful John Lennon tunes.

The film was inspired by an event that occurred to British folk musician Steve Tilston who after a magazine interview really was sent a letter by John Lennon via the magazine. Unfortunately someone kept hold of it and Tilston only got the letter in 2005.

The film starts rather refreshingly with Al Pacino as Danny Collins who is part Neil Diamond and Tom Jones. His biggest hit which he sings at the start sounds like Sweet Caroline.

Collins is vain, he boozes, takes cocaine and spends heavily. He has a young blonde bimbo in a large house. His manager (Christopher Plummer) shows him the letter which he was meant to receive in 1971 and Pacino has a life changing event and decides to check into a Hilton Hotel in New Jersey where he tries to connect with his working class son (Bobby Cannavale) and his young family.

Of course the son wants nothing to do with his famous long lost dad, but Collins showers them with his charm and money. They gradually get close until you get the expected hiccup in the relationships as Collins falls into his bad ways again when the bimbo turns up.

There is also a story strand where Collins tries to finish a new song inspired by getting to know his son and granddaughter, helping his son out with his illness and also the flirting he does with the hotel manager (Annette Bening.)

You kinda know that the film will follow familiar clichés and well worn movie tropes with heavy shades of sentimentality. Right out from the first scene where we see a young Danny Collins. Where the actor playing the younger Pacino in effect re-enacts the 'staring scene' from The Godfather. The restaurant segment where Michael Corleone shot the crooked cop, you know that this film will lack originality.

Pacino never really convinces me as a rock god turned middle of the road lounge crooner on the never ending greatest hits tour to keep himself in his heavy spending lifestyle. He reminded me too much of ex-Monkee Davy Jones with his dancing style.

However Cannavale, Garner, Pacino, Plummer, Bening overcome the weakness of the script by giving well pitched performances which comes across as sincere.

One thing to notice in the film is that despite the anger, frustration and even the cheating everyone in the film tries to be nice to each other. Just like the John Huston film, Fat City. Told you it lacks originality.