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Factotum Reviews

2005

50
from 7328 members

Henry Chinaski works in factories and warehouses to support what he really wants to do: drink, bet on the horses, take up with women as rootless as he is and, above all, write stories that no one wants to publish. Read more

Starring	Matt Dillon, Lili Taylor, Fisher Stevens, Marisa Tomei
Director	Brent Hamer
Genres	Comedy, Drama

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Critic's review of Factotum
View all critics' reviews (5)
- Hamerâs perhaps unlikely follow-up to the marvellous âKitchen Storiesâ centres on a terrific, possibly... read more on Time Out
- 49196
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:19
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of Factotum
View all members' reviews (60)
- - 40
  - 15
  hip
  
  After a luxurious and extravagant feast at the fabulously exclusive west end luncheonette ‘pizza hut’, I chipped down to the Curzon Soho to check out ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 179917
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - andyknifton
  - 98 reviews
  - London
  - 30 Nov 2005 at 11:22
Most recent members' reviews of Factotum
View all members' reviews (60)
- - 0
  - 0
  Classic Bukowski
  
  If you are a Charles Bukowski fan you wont be disappointed. If you dont know his work its basically a slacker, drifter, sexually charged alcoholic ride. ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1111668
- - 5ft7offootballheaven
  - 229 reviews
  - London
  - 16 Apr 2012 at 17:24
- - 0
  - 0
  Doesn't convert into film form
  
  As a Bukowski reader, I was disappointed. Matt Dillon is clearly a fan and plays the role well but the film lacks narration. It lacks direction and doesn't ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 959175
- - BrokenToySoldier
  - 11 reviews
  - Egg Rock
  - 31 Jan 2011 at 12:10
- - 2
  - 0
  Surprising dud for this director
  
  Bent Hamar (not 'Brent' as the site suggests) has directed some utterly brilliant films made on home ground in Norway. This foray into Hollywood with ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 905234
- - a customer
  - Isle of Skye, Scotland
  - 13 Jul 2010 at 17:31
- - 0
  - 0
  is it barfly or factotum?
  
  a good film, based on the same story and the same guy as the film Barfly. both films were based around the worlds of drinking heavily, writing and dysfunctional... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 856724
- - gingerspike
  - 289 reviews
  - Grimsby
  - 02 Feb 2010 at 20:52
- - 1
  - 0
  Read the book instead
  
  If you are a Bukowski fan you might find this somewhat interesting.
  
  If you are not familiar with Bukowski, my advice would be to buy and read the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 746724
- - tomtomtom
  - 5 reviews
  - London
  - 23 Apr 2009 at 02:49
- - 0
  - 0
  A bit puzzling
  
  Liked Dillon performance, he convinced as Bukowski's alias Chinaski. I also thought that the plot was faithful to the book - with one BIG exception. The ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 681510
- - a customer
  - Glossop
  - 05 Jan 2009 at 10:31
- - 0
  - 0
  Dillon is not right
  
  An ok film but Dillon just does not portray Henry Chinaski in an approriate manner. He's too clean cut and it's as if he's trying to be sexy all the... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 675221
- - a customer
  - Glasgow
  - 19 Dec 2008 at 14:34
- - 0
  - 0
  great, gritty, interesting, engaging
  
  I liked this movie in the way that I liked 'Leaving Las Vegas', where a character that should be totally unsympathetic and unattractive becomes ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 644633
- - rpopper65
  - 151 reviews
  - London
  - 15 Oct 2008 at 21:35
- - 0
  - 0
  Drifting
  
  The style of this film is as driftsome (if that's a word?!) as it's characters. At times you feel detached from the content and at other times strangely... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 597717
- - ameliewannabe
  - 29 reviews
  - Oxfordshire
  - 14 Jul 2008 at 12:26
- - 0
  - 0
  Factotum - not as good as the book
  
  I love and laoth Buckowski. Some of his books, Ham & Rye, Factotum are insights into a man's life and often make me think, i'd rather like to bum ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 546565
- - a customer
  - London
  - 29 Mar 2008 at 20:12
View all members' reviews (60)

- - 40
  - 15
  hip
  
  After a luxurious and extravagant feast at the fabulously exclusive west end luncheonette ‘pizza hut’, I chipped down to the Curzon Soho to check out ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 179917
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - andyknifton
  - 98 reviews
  - London
  - 30 Nov 2005 at 11:22
- - 7
  - 0
  Yes but no
  
  There was a certain charm held in this film - Matt Dillons performance is deliciously sleazy and desperate and the supporting cast and almost dragging pacing ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 243369
- - Andy Curry
  - York, UK
  - 12 May 2006 at 13:18
- - 5
  - 0
  A writer's life
  
  This film is not as bad as the reviewers think. I know writers, alcoholics, their miseries, their lives, and cannot understand why people think they lead such ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 366114
- - mrsdvd
  - 56 reviews
  - Twickenham
  - 09 Jun 2006 at 08:21
- - 4
  - 1
  Give the tormented artist a break.
  
  This is such a great quirky original film but clearly not for everyone.
  
  It introduced me to Bukowski and John Fante and as a result, opened my eyes ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 366353
- - Celious
  - Edinburgh
  - 15 Jun 2006 at 07:42
- - 3
  - 0
  It's not meant to have explosions and car chases...
  
  A fine introduction to the works of Bukowski. The film is meant to be languid, as it chronicles Matt Dillon as Henry Chinanski's (ie Bukowski's) ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 281185
- - King Babar
  - Celesteville
  - 31 Aug 2006 at 20:45
- - 3
  - 0
  For Bukowski fans
  
  If you're reading this there's a good chance you're a Bukowski fan, in which case you'll know just how unique his writing is. This film does an ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 281637
- - elperegrino
  - Maesteg
  - 02 Sep 2006 at 09:17
- - 2
  - 0
  Laid-back and laconic
  
  This is a pretty faithful adaptation of Bukowski's semi-autoboigraphical work, despite it's updating to modern times. Dillon fills the screen with an ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 229064
- - Melon
  - East Sussex
  - 05 Apr 2006 at 18:46
- - 2
  - 0
  Like spending two hours in a room with someone you don't like
  
  This film gets one star for Matt Dillon's performance which was excellent however I cannot recommend this film to anyone who likes their films to have any ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 534458
- - Rembrandt
  - 14 reviews
  - Wellingborough
  - 03 Mar 2008 at 22:00
- - 2
  - 0
  Surprising dud for this director
  
  Bent Hamar (not 'Brent' as the site suggests) has directed some utterly brilliant films made on home ground in Norway. This foray into Hollywood with ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 905234
- - a customer
  - Isle of Skye, Scotland
  - 13 Jul 2010 at 17:31
- - 1
  - 0
  High art of low life...
  
  A fine performance by Matt Dillon, as Henry Chinaski, alter ego of the 'poet laureate of low-life,' Charles Bukowski.
  
  Everything in this film... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 417303
- - MichaelJ
  - 16 reviews
  - London
  - 05 Mar 2007 at 16:53

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Critics' reviews
- Hamerâs perhaps unlikely follow-up to the marvellous âKitchen Storiesâ centres on a terrific, possibly... read more on Time Out
- 49196
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:19
- Dillon is fantastic... his best performance in a long time
- 40456
- - The Times
  - 08 Oct 2007 at 15:25
- Seek it out and it'll touch your heart
- 40457
- - Total Film
  - 08 Oct 2007 at 15:25
- Irresistible
- 40455
- - Hotdog
  - 08 Oct 2007 at 15:25
- Hilarious
- 40454
- - Arena
  - 08 Oct 2007 at 15:25

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- Factotum
  
  Henry Chinaski works in factories and warehouses to support what he really wants to do: drink, bet on the horses, take up with women as rootless as he is and, above all, write stories that no one wants to publish....