Amends of the Father

An over the hill singer tries to rebuild his career and reconnect with his estranged son.

Tony (Sorrentino) is a former musician whose glory days seem to be behind him. Separated from his wife and never seeing his son, he lives by himself in New York City, reminiscing about his proud past as a talented up-and-coming rock singer who failed to reach stardom. Finally, he decides that the time has come to resurrect his career and announces it on a podcast interview, before heading to a bar to meet an old acquaintance, with whom he is hoping to kick-start his comeback. Things will not go well, leaving Tony to consider that getting back together with his boy might be a way of improving his life.

Hunger for fame is arguably the main theme in this short drama. Tony longs to become famous again and appears to envy the success of his son, Branden (Quartuccio), who has become an international superstar as an actor and singer. He is torn apart by his past actions that cost him his career and his family and he carries around an old portable CD player on which he plays songs that he developed during his heyday. The dramatic ending is clearly a commentary about how the desire to be famous influences people and how rapidly one can achieve fame these days (and in disturbing ways) thanks to social media.

Other significant subjects that are explored include fatherhood, regrets and reconciliation, all of which are related to Tony. He sees himself are a failed parent, as a person who constantly disappoints and fails those around him and is torn apart by regrets. Hoping to make amends, he travels to Florida and visits Branden in his mansion, where he is working with a film crew.

What about Tony as a person? He comes across as an unlikeable character, he swears a lot and even seems to be a narcissist. He spends his time at home, watching videos of his days performing on stage, attends group therapy sessions where he shows that he has anger management issues and his inner thoughts indicate self-loathing. These traits may not be positive, however they do make him an intriguing protagonist.

The film gains from a rich soundtrack that includes numerous tracks by Sorrentino himself and the dramatic score by Robbie Elfman.

This story is a character study about an aging individual who wants the joys of fame and fortune and is willing to go to extremes in order to get his wish. It is a film that reveals the dark side of seeking popularity and the ending is probably the most memorable part.