Christopher Plummer and Al Pacino in Danny Collins.. advertisement | advertise on newsday. Al Pacino playing an overripe rock star ruing his misspent youth (and middle age) might seem like an opportunity for enthusiastic hoo-hah-ing and a whole lotta ACTING in capital letters. But the saving grace of Danny Collins is that Pacino is playing a performer, one whose overly large self is perfectly plausible. Danny is a rock and roller whose biggest records are well behind him, but whose devoted fans still turn out in droves to hear his hits.