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.

Danny Collins (Al Pacino) is an old rock star who keeps playing the same greatest hits. He hasn't written anything new in 30 years. His manager Frank Grubman (Christopher Plummer) finds a 40-year-old undelivered letter from John Lennon. He's also happy to catch his much younger fiancée Sophie with another guy. He decides to move into a New Jersey hotel. Mary Sinclair (Annette Bening) is the manager. Jamie (Melissa Benoist) and Nicky Ernst (Josh Peck) are two of the workers. Danny wants to reconcile with Tom Donnelly (Bobby Cannavale),a son he's never met. Tom is bitter. He's married to Samantha (Jennifer Garner) with daughter Hope.

Al Pacino does a nice job being an aged rock star. There is great potential here. I do wish for a better arc with the son Tom. It starts off with good tension but he changes too quickly. It's not wrong with Danny helping with the granddaughter. Concentrating on the father son relationship would help to develop nuance. Nothing is wrong here but the start suggests something greater and more compelling.

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.