Why a 2005 film about a struggling writer chose Minneapolis over Los Angeles
In short: Bent Hamer’s Factotum adapts Charles Bukowski’s 1975 novel into a dark comedy-drama. While the source material is rooted in 1940s Los Angeles, the film shifts the setting to a contemporary, cleaner Minneapolis. This choice sparked debate among critics about whether the film captured the true, gritty essence of Bukowski’s iconic alter ego.
Factotum follows Henry Chinaski, a man navigating a cycle of alcoholism and menial labor while attempting to establish himself as a writer. Played by Matt Dillon, Chinaski drifts through various short-lived jobs—from cleaning statues to delivering ice—while maintaining volatile relationships with fellow alcoholics like Jan, portrayed by Lili Taylor. The narrative is episodic, mirroring the picaresque nature of Bukowski’s original prose, and culminates in a final monologue that reflects on the singular, often isolating dedication required to pursue a life of writing.
The film’s production was a French-Norwegian collaboration, with Hamer choosing to shoot in the twin cities of Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota, rather than the Los Angeles of the 1940s. This decision proved contentious. Critics like Jim Emerson argued that the setting lacked the necessary grit, suggesting that the environment felt too tame to reflect the authentic, impoverished underbelly that defined Bukowski’s life and work. Emerson further questioned the necessity of the film, comparing it unfavorably to the 1987 feature Barfly.
Despite these critiques, the film received generally positive reviews, holding a 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Hamer’s direction earned recognition, including a nomination at the Norwegian Academy Awards and a win at the Copenhagen International Film Festival. The script itself is a mosaic of Bukowski’s literary output, incorporating notebook entries and poems from collections such as The Days Run Away Like Horses Over the Hill. The film’s closing voiceover, featuring the poem Roll the Dice, serves as a definitive statement on the costs of artistic commitment, framing the struggle as the only fight worth fighting.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Factotum (film)
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