Factotum (2005)

Director:

Bent Hamer

Writers:

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

Release Date:

29 April 2005 (Norway)

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:

Job Interview | Building On Fire | Whiskey | Sex | Nudity

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. May 22

1:30 AM

TMC

Cast

Matt Dillon	...	Henry Chinaski
Lili Taylor	...	Jan
Marisa Tomei	...	Laura
Fisher Stevens	...	Manny
Didier Flamand	...	Pierre
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)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

France | Germany | Sweden | USA | Norway

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Bulbul Films

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:

Referenced in The Making of 'Factotum' (2006) (TV)

drinks on me

This movie can't be discussed in depth without at least passing mention or comparison with Barfly. The two movies covered the same person, namely Bukowski's alter ego Henry Chianski and the two films even share a few of the same exact scenes. Each movie has humor but each takes it's own approach. Barfly went for the sheer exuberance at low life lifestyles. Factotum approaches the humor from a more sadness of the world level. I prefer the former to the later.

I'd like to praise Matt Dillon for bringing more light to the works of Charles Bukowski but he seems to have done with out the joie de vivre that Bukowski seem to have in starts and fits. As a film itself the movie is well acted and though it's pacing suffers from points of near inactivity it manages to keep just enough attention to bring us through the end. The presence of Frank Stallone in the movie is greatly missed. After typing that out i still can't believe it.