Factotum on DVD (2005)

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andyknifton from London [Highly rated reviewer] , 30/11/2005

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 the adaptation of ‘Factotum’ a book by solitary poet laureate of skid row Charles Bukowski. It’s basically the story of an almost homelessly broke alcoholic writer drinking his way through a series of horrible jobs and grimy romances.

It was cracking.

Matt Dillon made an excellent Hank Chinaski, despite the potential for the character to be portrayed as either pitiful or loathsome, he brought a genuine warmth to the role. He moved and sounded exactly the way I imagined he should. He had Chinaski's world-weary monologue, and exasperated lumbering shuffle down. The only criticism that could realistically be made is that Dillon is just too attractive to be Chinaski (despite Dillon bulking up and looking as shabby and browbeaten as possible), but I think that the quality of his performance negates this issue (some of the flats he lives in don’t quite look sh*tty enough either, but f**k it). The actresses performing the roles of the various bar wenches that our louche Lothario picks up are also superb; Lili Taylor’s twitchily desperate Jan, and Marisa Tomei’s boozy gold digger living off of a slimy old man are both portrayed very convincingly.

Also on hand are a rotten chorus of gamblers, bums, agitated bosses, and sleazy b*stards. As a portrayal of grinding monotony and near poverty some may find this slow and depressing, but I found it funny, real, and engaging.

After the film I immediately nabbed a copy of post office.

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Yes but no

Andy Curry from York, UK , 12/05/2006

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 seem to fit the overall tone well. However, there comes a point when, yes, we realise it's all absurd and slow and grinding and dear god I'm bored out of my mind. I'll rarely if ever stop a film once I've started it but I'll admit to having struggled to reach the end of this. End it I did - and certainly thought about it since, but it's not an experience I'd really want to repeat.

Worthy but ultimately too dry for it's own good.

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A writer's life

mrsdvd from Twickenham , 09/06/2006

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 fascinating existences.

Often they are like Bukowski's own life, on which this film is based, dreaming of the day they become recognised, working in dead end factory jobs, graveyards, building sites. The portrayal here is low key, as a drunk's life can be, flitting in and out of relationships, lonely, wandering free, hard to portray on screen with any NYPD style directing, but this is not a bad effort and is quite poignant.

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Give the tormented artist a break.

Celious from Edinburgh , 15/06/2006

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 to a whole new range of reading material. Give it a chance (past the first 10 minutes) and you might be pleasantly surprised!

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andyknifton from London [Highly rated reviewer] , 30/11/2005

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 the adaptation of ‘Factotum’ a book by solitary poet laureate of skid row Charles Bukowski. It’s basically the story of an almost homelessly broke alcoholic writer drinking his way through a series of horrible jobs and grimy romances.

It was cracking.

Matt Dillon made an excellent Hank Chinaski, despite the potential for the character to be portrayed as either pitiful or loathsome, he brought a genuine warmth to the role. He moved and sounded exactly the way I imagined he should. He had Chinaski's world-weary monologue, and exasperated lumbering shuffle down. The only criticism that could realistically be made is that Dillon is just too attractive to be Chinaski (despite Dillon bulking up and looking as shabby and browbeaten as possible), but I think that the quality of his performance negates this issue (some of the flats he lives in don’t quite look sh*tty enough either, but f**k it). The actresses performing the roles of the various bar wenches that our louche Lothario picks up are also superb; Lili Taylor’s twitchily desperate Jan, and Marisa Tomei’s boozy gold digger living off of a slimy old man are both portrayed very convincingly.

Also on hand are a rotten chorus of gamblers, bums, agitated bosses, and sleazy b*stards. As a portrayal of grinding monotony and near poverty some may find this slow and depressing, but I found it funny, real, and engaging.

After the film I immediately nabbed a copy of post office.

Read all highest rated reviews

A writer's life

mrsdvd from Twickenham , 09/06/2006

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 fascinating existences.

Often they are like Bukowski's own life, on which this film is based, dreaming of the day they become recognised, working in dead end factory jobs, graveyards, building sites. The portrayal here is low key, as a drunk's life can be, flitting in and out of relationships, lonely, wandering free, hard to portray on screen with any NYPD style directing, but this is not a bad effort and is quite poignant.

Read all highest rated reviews