Flawless

Flawless is an American film that stars Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The 1999 film features De Niro as Walter Koontz, a homophobic New York police officer who suffers a stroke that leaves him partially paralyzed and with a severe speech impairment. His doctor recommends singing lessons to help him improve the clarity of his speech. Too ashamed by his impairment to seek out a professional voice coach, he turns for help to his neighbo... more

Flawless is an American film that stars Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The 1999 film features De Niro as Walter Koontz, a homophobic New York police officer who suffers a stroke that leaves him partially paralyzed and with a severe speech impairment. His doctor recommends singing lessons to help him improve the clarity of his speech. Too ashamed by his impairment to seek out a professional voice coach, he turns for help to his neighbor (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a flamboyant pre-operative transsexual who is also a drag performer. In the course of their interactions, they discover that although they are each deeply prejudiced against one another, they also have a great deal in common. Flawless was directed by Joel Schumacher, who also wrote the screenplay. Other cast members includes Daphne Rubin-Vega and Wilson Jermaine Heredia, both of whom starred (as Mimi and Angel, respectively) in the original 1996 production of the Broadway Musical Rent. less