There's a pretty good chance at least one of the movies Dan Fogelman wrote has touched your life in some way or become a favorite. Pixar's Cars and Cars 2, Disney's Tangled, Crazy Stupid Love...he's been keeping busy as a screenwriter but has now turned the page to directing with Danny Collins. For a debut feature Fogelman was able to amass a cast any longtime filmmaker would envy: Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Bobby Cannavale, Jennifer Garner, and Christopher Plummer star in the dramedy about an aging, hard-living rock star who has given up creativity for easy paychecks singing old tunes. When he discovers that his idol, John Lennon, wrote him an inspiring letter some 40 years earlier, it forces Danny to reexamine what's truly important.
Fogelman has tackled the issue of growing older in films like Last Vegas and The Guilt Trip, but Danny Collins also deals with celebrity culture, family, and second chances.
I was happy to have a chance to talk with Fogelman about Danny Collins, making the decision to direct, and how he got Al Pacino to sing in front of a live audience. You can check out that interview below, and also find my review of Danny Collins here.
