Factotum (2005)

Director:

Bent Hamer

Writers:

Charles Bukowski (novel)
Bent Hamer (written by) ...

Release Date:

29 April 2005 (Norway)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

What matters most is how you well you walk through the fire.

Plot:

This drama centers on Hank Chinaski, the fictional alter-ego of "Factotum" author Charles Bukowski, who wanders around Los Angeles, CA trying to live off jobs which don't interfere with his primary interest, which is writing. Along the way, he fends off the distractions offered by women, drinking and gambling.

Plot Keywords:

Money | Drinking | Writing | Gambling | Writer

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Matt Dillon	...	Hank Chinaski
Lili Taylor	...	Jan
Didier Flamand	...	Pierre
Fisher Stevens	...	Manny
Marisa Tomei	...	Laura
Adrienne Shelly	...	Jerry
Karen Young	...	Grace
Thomas Lyons	...	Tony Endicott (as Tom Lyons)
Dean Brewington	...	Old Black Man
James Cada	...	Bald Man
James Michael Detmar	...	Smithson
Kurt Schweickhardt	...	Ice Plant Supervisor
Dee Noah	...	Hank's Mother
James Noah	...	Hank's Father
Michael Egan	...	Taxi Office Clerk

Also Known As:

Factotum (France)
Factotum: A Man Who Performs Many Jobs (USA) (long title)
Фактотум (Russia) [ru]
Factotum (Greece) [el]
Parakmi (Greece) (DVD title) [el]

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

France | Germany | Sweden | USA | Norway

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:16 | Brazil:16 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:12 | Singapore:M18 | Netherlands:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | USA:R (MPAA rating) | Australia:M | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Finland:K-15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Canterbury Park Racetrack - 1100 Canterbury Road, Shakopee, Minnesota, USA

Company:

Arte

Trivia:

'Sean Penn' was the first choice for the role of Henry Chinaski.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The want ad that Henry circles contains an incomplete sentence. The first line reads: "Begin in delivery room and work un-" then the second line begins "Contact Mr. Heathercliff".

Quotes:

Pickle Factory boss: Writer huh? Are you sure?
Henry Chinaski: No, I'm not. I'm halfway through a novel.
Pickle Factory boss: What's it about?
Henry Chinaski: Everything.
Pickle Factory boss: It's about... cancer?
Henry Chinaski: Yes.
Pickle Factory boss: How about my wife?
Henry Chinaski: She's in there too.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2006-09-02)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Where Breathing Starts

This was just fantastic!

As Barfly is one of my favorite movies of all time, I was very interested in seeing how Matt Dillon would take over the Chinaski reigns. At first it was a little disconcerting because Dillon plays it almost the polar opposite of what Rourke did. While Rourke was out there, Dillon was very quiet but in a hilarious, Jim Jarmusch kind of way. One scene that was so indicative of the writer wanting to be left alone is when a co-worker is looking forward to meeting Chinaski, and the meeting is filled with silence.

Matt Dillon has matured into a great actor and I am glad he was nominated for Crash, and I would like to see him nominated for this too. Marisa Tomei and Lili Taylor were also wonderful. There are two scenes that are taken directly from Barfly, which is also interesting to see. Any fan of Bukowski's work must see this excellent film