Flag Day (film)

Last updated

Flag Day
Flag Day poster.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Sean Penn
Screenplay by
Based onFlim-Flam Man: A True Family History
by Jennifer Vogel
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Daniel Moder
Edited by Valdís Óskarsdóttir
Michelle Tesoro
Music byJoseph Vitarelli
Production
companies
  • Conqueror Productions
  • Olive Hill Media
  • Wonderful Films
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (through United Artists Releasing)
Release dates
  • July 10, 2021 (2021-07-10)(Cannes)
  • August 20, 2021 (2021-08-20)(United States)
Running time
108 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.4 million [2] [3]

Flag Day is a 2021 American drama film directed by and starring Sean Penn based on Jennifer Vogel's 2004 memoir, Flim-Flam Man: A True Family History. [4] It premiered in competition at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival [5] and was released in cinemas on August 20, 2021 by United Artists Releasing. The film has received mixed reviews from critics.

Contents

Premise

The daughter of a con artist struggles to come to terms with her father's past, involving the fourth-largest seizure of counterfeit bills in U.S. history, nearly $20 million.

Cast

Production

In March 2012, Penn expressed interest in joining the cast of a Flim-Flam Man film adaptation [7] directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. [8] [9]

It was announced in March 2019 that a casting call for the film had been issued, with filming for the project due to commence in Winnipeg, Canada. [10] [11] [12]

Filming began in June with the cast including Penn and his children Dylan Penn and Hopper Penn. [13] Josh Brolin, Miles Teller and Katheryn Winnick were also among the cast announced. [14] In July 2019, James Russo was confirmed as part of the cast. [15] On August 1, 2019, scenes were filmed at the Fort Garry campus of the University of Manitoba. [16] Filming took place at Piedras Blancas in San Luis Obispo County, California. [17]

The film was produced by William Horberg, Jon Kilik and Fernando Sulichin. [18]

In an interview with Deadline Hollywood at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, Penn said that he initially thought that it would be something he might act in, but after trouble identifying the right director he took on the offer as it was a movie that he would have liked to see get made. [19] It is the first film directed by Penn in which he also appears.

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in July 2021. Prior to the festival, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film, with plans to release it later that year through their joint venture, United Artists Releasing. [20] It was released on August 20, 2021. [21] It was previously scheduled to be released on August 14, but moved back a week to avoid competing with another MGM film, Respect . [22]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack to Flag Day features original music by Eddie Vedder, Glen Hansard and Cat Power. The first single, "My Father's Daughter" marks the musical debut of Vedder's then-17-year-old daughter Olivia, who also sings lead on the song "There's a Girl". [23] The album with the thirteen-track soundtrack was released on August 20, 2021. [24]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."My Father's Daughter" (Eddie Vedder, Glen Hansard and Olivia Vedder)
  • Eddie Vedder
  • Glen Hansard
 David Odlum 2:50
2."Flag Day" (Eddie Vedder and Glen Hansard)
  • Vedder
  • Hansard
Odlum4:09
3."I Think of Angels" (Cat Power) Kristján Kristjánsson KK 3:32
4."Tender Mercies" (Eddie Vedder and Glen Hansard)
  • Vedder
  • Hansard
3:13
5."Rather Be Home" (Eddie Vedder and Glen Hansard)
  • Vedder
  • Hansard
 3:25
6."I Am a Map" (Cat Power) Chan Marshall Cat Power2:01
7."As You Did Before" (Glen Hansard)
  • Vedder
  • Hansard
 4:29
8."There's a Girl" (Eddie Vedder, Glen Hansard and Olivia Vedder)
  • Vedder
  • Hansard
 3:33
9."I'll Be Waiting" (Eddie Vedder and Glen Hansard)
  • Vedder
  • Hansard
Odlum2:35
10."I Will Follow" (Cat Power)MarshallCat Power4:48
11."Wave" (Eddie Vedder and Glen Hansard)
  • Vedder
  • Hansard
Odlum3:19
12."Drive" (Eddie Vedder)
 4:24
13."Dream" (Cat Power)MarshallCat Power5:22
Total length:47:48

Controversy

During promotion for the movie, at a time when thousands were dying monthly from the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Penn stated he didn't want anyone who chose not to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to be allowed to see the movie in theaters, which upset anti-vaxxers. [25]

Reception

Box office

Flag Day was released in 24 theaters and made $40,750 in its opening weekend. According to Deadline Hollywood , the film was targeting an "older, sophisticated demo." In its initial release, 56% of all audiences were over the age of 55, low numbers that were credited to the Delta variant. The film was screened in 50 theaters in its second weekend. [26]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 40% of 86 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.3/10.The website's consensus reads: "Flag Day benefits from powerful performances and a moving fact-based story, but it's largely lost in the movie's melodramatic din." [27] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 53 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [28]

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References

  1. ↑ "Flag Day". Cannes Film Festival . Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Flag Day (2021)". The Numbers . Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Flag Day (2021)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Sean Penn to reteam with Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for his adaptation of Flim-Flam Man?". JoBlo. March 16, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  5. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (June 3, 2021). "Sean Penn, Wes Anderson, Sean Baker, Ildikó Enyedi Join 2021 Cannes Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  6. ↑ Hammond, Pete (July 10, 2021). "'Flag Day' Cannes Review: Sean Penn Directs And Stars In Powerful True Family Drama That Is Star-Making Showcase For Daughter Dylan Penn". Deadline Hollywood. Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  7. ↑ Davis, Edward (March 15, 2012). "Sean Penn May Join Alejandro González Iñárritu's 'Flim-Flam Man' (Possibly Retitled 'Red Flag')". theplaylist.net. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  8. ↑ Abrams, Rachel; Kroll, Justin (March 8, 2012). "New Regency backing Inarritu pic - Entertainment News, EXCLUSIVE, Media - Variety". Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Sean Penn to play conman in film?". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Sean Penn to direct movie shooting in Winnipeg". CTV News . March 13, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Sean Penn to direct new film in Winnipeg, search is on for actors - Winnipeg". Global News . Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Penn in the 'Peg: Academy Award winner to direct movie in Winnipeg this summer". cbc.ca. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  13. ↑ Mthimkhulu, Andile (August 1, 2022). "Hopper Penn Has a Famous Dad — All about Actor Sean Penn's Son and His Sister". news.amomama.com. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  14. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (June 19, 2019). "'Flag Day' Shoot Under Way: Sean Penn Directs & Stars In Drama With Dylan Penn, Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Katheryn Winnick, More". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  15. ↑ Galuppo, Mia (July 31, 2019). "James Russo Joins Sean Penn Drama 'Flag Day'". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  16. ↑ UM Today Staff (July 31, 2019). "Filming on campus on Aug. 1". UM Today . Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  17. ↑ Linn, Sarah (September 20, 2019). "'Boy, that looks like Sean Penn.' Oscar-winning actor spotted filming in SLO County". The Tribune . Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  18. ↑ McNary, Dave (June 19, 2019). "Sean Penn to Direct, Star in 'Flag Day' With Daughter Dylan Penn". Variety. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  19. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (July 9, 2021). "Sean Penn Keeps It All In The Family With 'Flag Day' At Cannes: The Deadline Q&A". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  20. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 11, 2021). "Sean Penn Cannes World Premiere 'Flag Day' Picked Up By MGM; Studio Eyes Theatrical Release This Year". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  21. ↑ Juneau, Jen (July 28, 2021). "Sean Penn's Daughter Dylan Makes Lead Debut in Flag Day Alongside Dad — See the Gripping Trailer". People . Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  22. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 15, 2021). "Sean Penn Feature 'Flag Day' Sets Summer Theatrical Release". Deadline Hollywood. Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Eddie Vedder's Daughter Olivia Makes Vocal Debut on 'Flag Day' Soundtrack". Variety. August 16, 2021.
  24. ↑ "2021 Flag Day Soundtrack". PearlJam.com.
  25. ↑ Seth Meyers, Sean Penn (August 16, 2021). Sean Penn Only Wants Vaccinated People to See Flag Day in Theaters. Late Night with Seth Meyers (YouTube). New York. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  26. ↑ Goldsmith, Jill (August 22, 2021). "Sean Penn's 'Flag Day' Fails To Fly As Older Arthouse Crowd Shuns Cinemas – Specialty Box Office". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  27. ↑ "Flag Day". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved January 11, 2023. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  28. ↑ "Flag Day". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved January 11, 2023.

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