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    Movie Review

    Sean Penn showcases daughter in emotionally empty Flag Day

    Alex Bentley
    Aug 19, 2021 | 1:38 pm
    Sean Penn showcases daughter in emotionally empty Flag Day
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    Most parents will do anything in their power to help their children succeed in life. For most of us, that involves supporting them emotionally and financially, teaching them right from wrong, and, hopefully, getting them to a place where they can survive on their own. For someone like Oscar winner Sean Penn, that can mean being in the fortunate position to make a movie with and starring your kids, as he does with Flag Day.

    The film centers on the highly dysfunctional Vogel family, led by John (Sean Penn), who has his hands in multiple criminal enterprises over the course of the film’s running time. His exploits take a toll on his one-time romantic partner, Patty (Kathryn Winnick), and son, Nick (played as a teenager/adult by Hopper Penn), but they especially affect Jennifer (played as a teenager/adult by Dylan Penn), who always tries to find a way to see the good in him.

    Jennifer winds up being the main character, as she bounces back and forth between her two parents over the years, desperate for some kind of stability that seems like it will never come. No matter what, though, John and Jennifer always find a way back into each other’s lives, and Jennifer has to come to terms between the love she feels for him and what’s ultimately best for her own life.

    The film, directed by Sean Penn, written by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, and based on the book Flim-Flam Man by the real-life Jennifer Vogel, is tough viewing for anyone who likes at least a little levity in their movies. The closest the story comes to a feel-good moment is when Jennifer and Nick run away to live with John when they’re both still in elementary school. But the fun moments they share with him and his then-girlfriend are illusory, both by the circumstances that led them to his door and the life he’s leading when they find him.

    One of the reasons the film is called Flag Day is because John Vogel was born on that holiday and apparently reveled in the celebrations every year (side note: does anyone actually celebrate Flag Day other than putting out a flag?). But the connections are tenuous at best after that. Perhaps it’s an attempt to show that the story of the Vogels is just as American as the more idyllic families? Whatever the intention, it doesn’t come through strongly.

    The film often looks like it’s meant to have a nostalgic feel. Much of the footage is grainy, and Penn sometimes inserts home video purportedly filmed by John. If that style was supposed to result in stronger emotions for the film’s odd family unit, it doesn’t work as intended. While Jennifer’s agony over not being loved like she should be and not knowing how to completely separate herself from her father is clear, none of the feelings translate over to viewers.

    However, the real-life love between Sean and Dylan Penn is very evident. Sean showcases Dylan (and to a much lesser degree, Hopper) so well that it wouldn’t be surprising to see her pick up more starring roles in the near future. Dylan is not just a product of her father’s directing, though; her talent often elevates her scenes, something that can’t always be said of others. Sean also does a great job; few others can play charming and abhorrent in the same movie as well as he can.

    Flag Day is not that memorable of a film, either for its story or its characters. But as a way for Sean Penn to get his kids notice in the film world, it works wonders, although it’s more than a tad ironic that he becomes a good parent by telling a story about an awful one.

    ---

    Flag Day opens in theaters on August 20.

    Sean Penn in Flag Day.

    Sean Penn in Flag Day
      
    Photo courtesy of Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Inc.
    Sean Penn in Flag Day.
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    Festival News

    Sabrina Carpenter headlines annual 2025 ACL Music Fest in Austin

    Brianna Caleri
    May 6, 2025 | 5:26 pm
    Sabrina Carpenter
    Photo courtesy of Sabrina Carpenter
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    Austin City Limits Music Festival is back for another year of big names including Sabrina Carpenter, Hozier, Doja Cat, Luke Combs, The Strokes, John Summit, Doechii and more. Austinites will take Zilker Park from October 3-5 and October 10-13.

    Ticket sales start with three-day wristbands at noon on May 6 at aclfestival.com.

    Just in terms of buzz alone, Sabrina Carpenter and Doechii are two big pulls that perhaps could have been expected, although there are never any guarantees. The pristine pop and artistic rap performers, respectively, are each on a meteoric rise. Their sets could echo Chappell Roan's last year, which stole headlines for sheer excitement and crowd size.

    Hozier, Doja Cat, Luke Combs, and The Strokes are all returning artists. That means nearly half of this year's headliners are making their ACL Fest debut right at the top. One of those newcomers is John Summit, an who was speculated to show up in 2024 with Dom Dolla. Fans also expected to see Sabrina Carpenter in 2024 (in part thanks to a misleading advertisement on the "payphone" ACL Fest installed to tease its lineup), so thankfully they didn't have to wait long.

    After the actual headliners, the top line of performers include Colombian reggaeton star Feid, who has collaborated with Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Karol G, and more; alternative rock band Cage the Elephant, who are back from a tumultuous patch; R&B star T-Pain, in the middle of a personal renaissance to remind people he can sing without autotune; Australian electropop duo Empire of the Sun, with alien operatic stage sensibilities; nostalgic solo artist Djo, the nearly incognito solo project of actor Joe Keery from Stranger Things; and iconic post-hardcore band Pierce the Veil, who are back in the studio again.

    Locals receive a karmic second chance to see Passion Pit, the defining electropop group that recently dropped out of a 2025 South by Southwest showcase, leaving barely a trace. Japanese Breakfast also promises big crowds; a recent signing appearance at End of An Ear in South Austin created a line around the block for hours. Two more CultureMap favorites (if readers will indulge us) are Southern indie rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise and British indie, post-punk band Wet Leg; respectively hyper sincere and deadpan, but both fun and high-energy.

    Among Austin artists, two stand out as recent festival favorites: Geto Gala and The Point. Geto Gala is a hip hop duo favoring smooth, nostalgic beats and a laid-back lyrical delivery. The Point, a rock group, spans many styles, but their live sets tend to show off high-energy, world-influenced, and mostly instrumental blues. Dylan Gossett, while not exactly a festival staple, is much higher up on the lineup and is becoming very well-respected as a country-folk songwriter.

    A press release pulls out some additional notable acts from the lineup:

    • Fujii Kaze (W2)
    • ROLE MODEL
    • Gigi Perez
    • CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso (W2)
    • Olivia Dean
    • Yoke Lore
    • flowerovlove
    • Royal & The Serpent
    • Amble
    • Good Neighbours
    • Celeste (W1)

    And some from Texas:

    • Maren Morris (W1)
    • Dylan Gossett
    • Tanner Usrey
    • Asleep at the Wheel (W1)
    • INOHA (W1)
    • Johnny Stimson (W2)
    • SL Houser (W1)
    • Geto Gala (W1)
    • Farmer’s Wife (W2)
    • Alex Amen (W2)
    • Shallowater (W2)
    • Aaron Page (W1)
    • Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Collective (W2)
    • Disciples of Christ (W1)
    A full lineup can be viewed here:

    Austin City Limits Music Festival lineup 2025ACL's full 2025 lineup.Graphic courtesy of Austin City Limits Music Festival

    Folks who can't make the festival can once again tune in on Hulu, returning as the festival's official streaming partner for performances, interviews, and more. Hulu will stream the first weekend, only.

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