Flawless [Blu-ray]

I watched this movie because it had De Niro in it and I had never seen a movie that I didn't like that had him in it. After it first got going I was beginning to think I was not going to like it because of all the profanity in it. But then I got to thinking about the kind of characters that was playing--a bunch of thugs and criminals. So that kind of language would have been second nature to them and without it then the movie would not have been very realistic.I am not a prestigious person because I was a nurse for over 30 years and worked with and had patients from all walks of life--different races and different genders, so the transvestite part of the story didn't bother me. I love all types of people. When it comes down to it, we are all human and people with the same feelings.It was nice to see Walter (De Niro) slowly loose his prejudices and discover that his perception of people were all wrong. I loved what a good part that Philip Seymour Hoffman played as Rusty, the transvestite--I think he did a very good job of acting. As a nurse, I also thought that De Niro played the part of a stroke patient very realistically. The only thing that puzzled me about the movie was that no one ever mentioned if Walter had any family, and if so, where were they when he really needed them? I was also surprised that a retired cop would live in such a dump--didn't cops get enough pension to live better than that?The end of the movie was a surprise and I thought was very climatic! I loved the end! It could not have ended any better.

The story line of people learning to overcome their pre-conceived ideas about each other to forge new relationships and a new sense of community is solid. I didn't feel that any of the scenes were extraneous - they showed Walt's life and his friends, Miss Rusty's life and her friends, and the events that caused their lives to collide. There wasn't a bad bit of acting in the whole movie.But what set my little Rent-head heart aflutter were Daphne Rubin-Vega (the original Broadway Mimi Marquez) and Wilson Jermaine Heredia (Angel Dumott Schunard of both stage and screen). Especially Wilson.Daphne gives a good performance as Tia. When we first meet her she is sweet on Walt (DeNiro) while Walt only has eyes for Karen (Wanda De Jesus).Wilson is fabulous as Miss Cha-Cha. This role is not merely Angel 2.0. As with Angel, Cha-Cha's style (with the possible exception of Cha-Cha's pageant look...which gives a nod to the Rent fandom) does not involve changing Wilson's body shape through things such as padding or cinching and that's where the resemblance ends. Cha-Cha is sweet, flirty, frequently dressed in shorts with tight or midriff baring tops, absolutely rocks the boy-short bleached hair, and she's sweet on Walt. Cha-Cha's interactions with Walt are major indicators of how Walt's attitudes (and world) are changing. This is a performance to not miss out on.

I don't usually sit and watch a movie start to finish, but I did with this one. I started watching it because I like Robert de Niro and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. They are both such wonderful actors. They both did a great job with their characters in this film. It's amazing watching this film from 1999. So much has changed in society since then. But it was great to see that friendship can happen even between people who are very different.Keep in mind that a central part of the movie is that Robert de Niro's character had a stroke. As such, he is difficult to understand. I would recommend that you turn on closed captioning.And if you are sensitive to homophobic language, this movie is not for you...its used ALOT.

Upon learning of his death, I decided to go back and watch all of Mr. Hoffman's films-- beginning with those I had never seen. This was the first film on that list. Hoffman's layered performance of the seeming-over-the-top character is simultaneously effortless and yet stunning in its complexity. We laugh with her-- never at her-- and when she is in pain, the pain is raw and real.He was truly a master craftsman. Oh how we will miss you, sir. Thank you for your art.

Good story line with excellent performances by Robert Deniro and Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

A quirky story, but like most DeNiro films, it's a good plot, and holds the viewer's interest all the way through. A sad, almost derelict NY City cop (DeNiro) nearing the end of his service is shot, barely survives, and his recovery is strangely helped along by his transvestite neighbor, the only person who exhibits any altruistic interest in his well-being. DeNiro's character of course is disgusted at first by this odd neighbor, but throughout the story he begins to understand the neighbor as a human being. Abandoned by his fellow cops, his daughter, and society in general, DeNiro's character breaks through prejudices to arrive at a concept of self-sacrificing love and tolerance. A really good morality tale, as well as an excellent psychological study.

I don't think Robert DeNiro's role as a recovering stroke victim was played very well -- physical disability was okay, but the slurred speech was so obviously phony, I couldn't forget -- this is acting! The story was good, portraying different sides of those we consider still to be outcasts because of subscribing to other than the norm. I enjoyed the story, but the main character left a lot to be desired. Others played superbly, i.e., the gay music teacher. Loved the ingenuousness of her transgender character.