Flawless is a 1999 American crime drama film written and directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The film is set in an apartment complex, and covers the relationships between its residents. A retired security guard suffers a stroke while trying to help a neighbor. He is left partially paralyzed and with an impaired ability to speak. He hires a neighboring drag queen to give him singing lessons with hope of improving his speech ability.
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Plot
Retired decorated security guard Walter Koontz lives in a downtown apartment complex, where he is in constant conflict with drag queen Rusty and his friends. He frequents a nightclub at which he is an expert tango dancer, and from which he conducts a superficial sexual relationship with dance partner Karen. At the same time, he rejects Tia, whom he considers a whore.
One night, crime boss "Mr. Z" and two goons come to the building looking for the money that Amber's boyfriend stole from his organization. Having heard gunshots upstairs, Walt suffers a stroke while ascending the stairs to help. He awakens with the right side of his body paralyzed, resulting in poor speech and posture, and giving him a limp that requires the use of a cane. Walter's self-confidence and general state of mind suffer, and he becomes ashamed to be seen in public, even skipping therapy, leading his doctor to visit him at home. His physical therapist, who had been sent to Walt's home by the doctor, recommends a singing teacher to improve his speech. When Walt hails a taxi outside of the building, he falls and drops the plan.
