Flawless

"Without the presence of Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman the ironically titled Flawless might have been the most wretched piece of slop to have hit the screen this year. Hoffman is bubbly with bad dialogue as the drag queen who comes across like the birthday party guest who never made it to the 1970 film version of Mart Crowley's The Boys In The Band. ... Full Review

It's almost a text-book illustration of great film acting. Similarly, the news that Joel Schumacher planned to make a modest little character-driven movie was reported in American trade journals as though it represented a radical new departure for this most mainstream of directors. ... Full Review

By KEVIN THOMAS TIMES STAFF WRITER April 6, 2000 Wednesday November 24, 1999 "Flawless" this Joel Schumacher film is not, but it plays so well that that scarcely matters. Where "Flawless" is flawless is in Jan Roelfs absolutely authentic production design, Daniel Orlandi's right-on costumes and in Declan Quinn's rich, noirish cinematography. ... Full Review

Flawless" stars Robert DeNiro as a homophobic rent-a-cop who suffers a stroke during an act of heroism. How about the touching story of gruff ex-cop stricken with paralysis and a flamboyant drag queen waiting for a sex change operation! ... Full Review

Flawless" is rated R for considerable profanity, violent gunplay and a vicious beating, use of crude sexual slang terms and some questionable humor, and simulated drug use (marijuana and crack cocaine). As Walt, De Niro's post-stroke physical afflictions seem to come and go, and he's not nearly likeable enough to care about. ... Full Review

One of the film's problems is....while there is obviously nothing wrong with lonely drag queens, we certainly didn't need this tedious, inconsequential movie to tell us that..... ... Full Review

But "Flawless," in its full-tilt abomination, is the movie meant to remind us that Schumacher can direct his own writing. We know what "Flawless" wants to be as soon as stroke victim, ex-security guard and practicing homophobe Walt Koonz (Robert De Niro) reluctantly raps on the door of Rusty Zimmerman (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the low-rent, high-esteem drag queen, looking for voice lessons to rehab his struggling speech. ... Full Review

Flawless'' is contrived and overly schematic There's nothing glib or pandering in Hoffman's performance -- just the integrity of an actor who's committed to doing his best. But it's got a good heart, and it's got Hoffman. ... Full Review

From the opening hand-held camera shots and jagged editing, "Flawless You need a pair of huge, hairy ones to make a picture this bad and call it "Flawless. plays like Schumacher's bid for indie credibility ... Full Review

Hoffman's Rusty is filled with smug superiority (born of a lifetime of rejection and insecurity, you realize). His attempt to tag on an 'action' subplot involving a missing stash of drug money (hidden in Rusty's mannequin) is both tacky and cynical. ... Full Review