Danny Collins (2015)

[Frayed Knot]

Washed up (though still making money) pop star receives a relic from his past which triggers a reassessment of his life.
So he quits the tour, dumps the young girlfriend, flushes the drugs, starts to write again, and decides to make amends with family members he never knew.

Better than that description makes it sound, largely due to some pro actors.
Al Pacino is Danny Collins.
Also Annette Benning, Christopher Plummer, Bobby Cannavale, Jennifer Garner, ... and John Lennon.

[Edgy MD]

Al Pacino as a musician? Who is he analogous to? Dion? Johnny Maestro?

[Frayed Knot]

Hard to say as we see young Danny (not played by Pacino obviously) for just a few seconds during a long-ago magazine interview. The story is based on an actual incident involving Liverpool singer/musician Steve Tilston but the character is totally invented for the movie.
The story of the road Danny Collins took after chucking the songwriting portion of his talent in favor of the easier road of performing, stardom and money is skipped over leaving us with just the brief scenes of him singing his golden oldies to crowds of golden oldies. He's still popular at his age, widely recognized, and can be charming as all get out, but of course he also knows he's at least 85% fraud.

At least a decade later than Dion (think early '70s as an up-and-comer) and not as authentic even if there were those at the beginning who thought he had the writing chops to be so.
Closer maybe to a more charismatic version of Michael Nesmith? James Taylor who opted instead for the David Cassidy route?

[Edgy MD]

Well, sounds like Pacino is playing a decade younger than his bad self.

[Frayed Knot]

Or as it's known in Hollywood: Standard Operating Procedure

[Edgy MD]

Sure, but he's been looking like Keith Richards' older sister of late.

[Frayed Knot]

Danny Collins to his (never before met) adult son:
- Are you happy? How's your life?
-- I hate my boss. And the Mets break my heart most of the time. But other than that I'm doing OK.