2008 Woodie Awards
Facto-life
Collin Mah
Issue date: 5/9/08 Section: the Scene
Factotum: A man with many jobs. A lot of us can relate to this term, but Henry Chinaski gives it an all-new twist in this recently released movie adaptation of Charles Bukowski's 1975 novel, "Factotum."
Matt Dillon stars as Bukowski's alter ego, Henry Chinaski, as he drifts through LA's slums, picking up any job he can find, a pickle sorter for example, or how about a full time gambler? As you might guess, he goes through work like hot cakes on National Hot Cake Day. Chinaski goes from motel to motel weekly, job-to-job daily, one day getting fired for on-the-job intoxication, the next being terminated for withholding a list of DUIs and disorderly conduct charges on his applications, and his blunt stubborn attitude doesn't help him either.
When he's not looking for work, you might find him at the racetracks or touring the local bars, picking up new girlfriends, such as Jan (Lili Taylor) and Laura (Marisa Tomei), who are just as down on times as Chinaski.
When transferring a novel's vast information into a 90-minute film, there are times the movie will turn out rushed and confusing and may hold only some appeal to the viewers who have already read the book. Though you won't get as much out of the movie as the book, this movie still has its strong points and still has enough information to keep the book's plot intact and true.
When reading Bukowski's novel, you might notice Chinaski is much deeper and more rounded than in the screen adaptation. You may also find some repetitiveness in Chinaski's job-to-job journeys, along with his down times of sex, booze and gambling, in the film version. With the novel, Bukowski's humor and sharp attention to subtle detail keep each job story fresh and interesting. The book's tale of employment, or lack thereof, is told in blatant, solemn prose, giving each job and termination new insight into his life. This is the one thing the movie doesn't quite get down; Chinaski goes from job to job, aimlessly keeping an unchanging attitude. The viewers get little insight into his real thoughts, keeping the on-screen Chinaski relatively flat.
Matt Dillon stars as Bukowski's alter ego, Henry Chinaski, as he drifts through LA's slums, picking up any job he can find, a pickle sorter for example, or how about a full time gambler? As you might guess, he goes through work like hot cakes on National Hot Cake Day. Chinaski goes from motel to motel weekly, job-to-job daily, one day getting fired for on-the-job intoxication, the next being terminated for withholding a list of DUIs and disorderly conduct charges on his applications, and his blunt stubborn attitude doesn't help him either.
When he's not looking for work, you might find him at the racetracks or touring the local bars, picking up new girlfriends, such as Jan (Lili Taylor) and Laura (Marisa Tomei), who are just as down on times as Chinaski.
When transferring a novel's vast information into a 90-minute film, there are times the movie will turn out rushed and confusing and may hold only some appeal to the viewers who have already read the book. Though you won't get as much out of the movie as the book, this movie still has its strong points and still has enough information to keep the book's plot intact and true.
When reading Bukowski's novel, you might notice Chinaski is much deeper and more rounded than in the screen adaptation. You may also find some repetitiveness in Chinaski's job-to-job journeys, along with his down times of sex, booze and gambling, in the film version. With the novel, Bukowski's humor and sharp attention to subtle detail keep each job story fresh and interesting. The book's tale of employment, or lack thereof, is told in blatant, solemn prose, giving each job and termination new insight into his life. This is the one thing the movie doesn't quite get down; Chinaski goes from job to job, aimlessly keeping an unchanging attitude. The viewers get little insight into his real thoughts, keeping the on-screen Chinaski relatively flat.
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