Flawless (1999)

I will start by saying RIP Phillip Seymour Hoffman - his acting talents were magnificent and we truly lost a special person. Every one of his films is acted with passion and dedication and "Flawless" is no different. He is special in this and his portrayal of the fierce drag queen is tender and heartfelt whilst also being fierce and powerful. Robert De Niro is of course brilliant in his role and really did an incredible job playing a stroke survivor - that is no easy feat and he has put his all in to every movement and every word spoken. This film should be watched for the acting talent and energy of these two actors alone as well as the character study of two very interesting people who find themselves with unique challenges to face in life. The cinematography is not top notch (the film was made in '99 so it does have a rustic quality) but it's perfectly fine. The focus here is on the characters, colourful and frantically trying to find connections in a difficult world. They are flawed in some ways through sheer stubborness or quick tempers but they aren't all that different when it comes down to it - they are both flawed in similar ways and maybe that's why their friendship works. It doesn't feel forced - it grows naturally and their chemistry is on fire. I loved this film - it depicts the world of drag queens wonderfully and the difficulties members of the LGBT community faced in the 90's. For the time it was made I applaud it - it hasn't tried to sugar coat anything and it has thrust us in to a layered and colourful and magical environment. Loved it loved it loved it .It's on Netflix UK right now so watch it.

I was begged to watch this movie by a friend that said it is really good. It started out like a play adapted to the screen with a few bumps here and there. It picks up with a plot but it is full disjunctive and broken attempts at making sense. P S Hoffman really tries, but he cannot get this role off the ground. Bobby Milk does what he does, act great. But he has a very limited chances to pull off the role other than to follow a grievously poorly written script that pales in comparison to the direction of use on the back of a stool softener box. When Bobby get the stroke he it gets better, that way he does not have to read the bad lines nearly as much. In fact if everyone would have had a stroke I could have given this stinker 3 stars. The best part is the end, it is over.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman (PSH) and De Niro give truly great performances in this movie. The movie is a comedy-drama-crime flick, because nowadays nothing is just one genre. Among the great lines: "There's no romance without finance" by Rusty the drag queen, sorry female impressionist. I'd say IMDb's 6.2 average rating is seriously low. I give this movie a 9. It's about difficult, ornery human beings, dealing with tough lives. Hail to movies that are more about human stories and great scripts, rather than all mindless action and computer graphics. You should watch this movie! It deals with drag queens, stroke victims, cops, gay people, lonely Latin gals, and tango lovers with great sensitivity. It emphasizes the fragility, persistence and dignity of human beings. The anger, joy, and love of music of PSH's character is really inspiring.

Robert DiNiro is excellent and Phillip Seymour Hoffman totally brilliant in this film. But the best thing about this movie is its lesson of tolerance and acceptance.There's a wide gulf between a disillusioned, narrow-minded former security guard with a disabling stroke and a flaming drag queen whose loneliness lurks just below the surface.One common thread is that it takes exceptional acting to remain convincingly in character and both DiNiro and Hoffman pull it off with ease. PSH is particularly compelling. Someday he may wind up with as many Oscar nominations as Merryl.Another common thread is that -- well, no spoilers here, but it's no surprise that these two lonely people have far more in common than the mutual antipathy with which they begin the movie.Ulimately, this well-constructed movie is about learning tolerance -- not just between two individuals but among their "crowds," as events and life take precedence over stereotyped bigotry.This movie is a warm winner - 8 1/2 stars.