The plot has its blatant contrivances, but Pacino surmounts them, even uses them cannily. The film also gains from supporting performances by Christopher Plummer as Frank, Danny’s long-time manager, Bobby Cannavale as Danny’s angry, estranged son Tom, Jennifer Garner as Samantha, Tom’s wife, and especially Annette Bening as Mary, the razor-smart, wary, but ultimately sympathetic Hilton Hotel manger whom Danny wants to date.

There once was a real situation involving a letter that John Lennon wrote to a singer dispensing advice but not delivered until years later. Fogelman has parlayed that into his fictional situation in which such a letter was sent by Lennon to Danny 40 years ago, but fell into the hands of a collector without Danny ever seeing it. Frank has managed to get hold of it, and presents it to Danny in a frame. Since Lennon was Danny’s idol, he is deeply moved to think that Lennon would have written him when he was a rising star, and the letter triggers feelings that he has sold out his gifts and makes him want to write a fresh song. There is a sad scene in which he performs, but the audience wants the Danny of old, and much to his disgust, that’s what he has to give it.

Danny stays at the Hilton in New Jersey to be near his son and family, but his initial approach is rejected by Tom, still bitter at the lack of a father in his life and at his father having walked away from his mother. Danny tries to shower attention and financial help (Tom labors as a construction worker), but he is rejected at first. The key to unlocking the problem comes in part when Danny arranges for a good school for his granddaughter, who has special needs problems, but more so when—get out the handkerchiefs—he learns that his son has been secretly harboring a life-threatening illness.