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Factotum is a film directed by Bent Hamer, adapted from the novel of the same name by Charles Bukowski. The film is principally a Norwegian production, although with an American cast. It was released in Norway in 2005 and distributed in the U.S. by IFC Films in 2006. It was released on DVD in the U.S. on 26 December 2006.

Plot synopsis

Bukowski's book, which is also titled Factotum, was published in 1975. The book centers on the character of Henry Chinaski, who is widely known to be Bukowski’s alter ego.

In the film, Chinaski (Matt Dillon) is working toward becoming a writer, and follows his own advice that "If you're going to try, go all the way." The film follows Chinaski's various jobs and relationships with women. The only things consistent in Chinaski's life (shown in repeated scenes throughout the film) seem to be his drinking and his writing. Chinaski has a more lasting relationship with one woman, Jan (Lili Taylor), who is also a broke alcoholic. They both find, however, that they do not need one another, and part ways. Chinaski continues writing, though he gets no tangible rewards.

72 Comments »

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"Chinaski, you're fired"

Like two years ago saw for the very first time this film, Bent Hamer's
Factotum, and I just loved it. Now having been reading Charles
Bukowski's 1975 novel (started it last Wednesday and finished it
yesterday) a couple of days Like two years ago saw for the very first
time this film, Bent Hamer's Factotum, and I just loved it. Now having
been reading Charles Bukowski's 1975 novel (started it last Wednesday
and finished it yesterday) a couple of days Bent Hamer's Factotum, and
I just loved it. Now having been reading Charles Bukowski's 1975 novel
(started it last Wednesday and finished it yesterday) a couple of days
I just loved it. Now having been reading Charles Bukowski's 1975 novel
(started it last Wednesday and finished it yesterday) a couple of days

eric_xoloitzcuintle from Mexico City - 14 June 2009

This film was better when it was called 'Barfly'

Clearly this film was made for a newer generation that may or may not
have had an inkling of Charles Bukowski's work. The autobiographical
Henry Chinaski character in Bukowski's stories was brilliantly
portrayed to perfection by Mickey Rourke in 1987's 'Barfly', also
starring Faye Dunaway. Anyone who has seen 'Factotum' should certainly
see 'Barfly' to get a better look at how Bukowski wrote his character.
'Factotum' lacks the greasy seediness of Bukowski's screenplay and the
fearless hopelessness of his loner hero. The inadvertent humor that
bubbles through in the dark desperation of Chinaski's misadventures
doesn't work for Dillon as it did so admirably for the overweight
filthy blood-soaked Rourke. Rourke's character makes the pain and
pleasure of the previous night's misbehavior a place-setting for yet
another grueling ugly day in the life of a drunken misanthropic unknown
writer. Dillon's character misses these marks in favor of a strutting,
handsome, relatively clean-looking wanna-be writer that scarcely passes
for any moment in that of Chinaski's story. Dunaway's sleazy heroine
Wanda is the perfect complement to the ne'er-do-well Henry. The women
in 'Factotum' can't hold a candle to Dunaway's 'distressed goddess' and
the use of more profane sexual subject matter in 'Factotum' proves to
be more of a crude distraction than a tip of the hat to Bukowski's raw
and unapologetic portrayals of dysfunctional relationships. I was
stunned at how many of the exact same scenes were used in 'Factotum'
(Marisa Tomei buying all the stuff and charging it to the old man is an
exact rip-off from 'Barfly').If you want to see the best Bukowski stories on film, see 'Barfly' and
'Love is a Dog From Hell' (which also goes by the title 'Crazy Love').

mtelford from United States - 17 May 2009

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