"The Old Man and the Gun" script is adapted from New Yorker article of the same name, that follows the (mostly true) story of the last years a life-long criminal and prison escape artist, bank robber Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford). To a lesser extent the movie is, also, the story of the man who will join the hunt for the robber, John Hunt (Casey Affleck), a police detective somewhat jaded with his job. For me, this was relative an enjoyable movie - for home screening - but that may not be enough to entice you into a theater. Maybe it will sound strange, but just like the slow-moving individuals in the movie, "The Old Man and the Gun" is somehow boring film that keeps you entertained, at a slower pace.
6+/7- out of 10.
295 Reviews
and with that, exit Robert Redford
lee_eisenberg17 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
"The Old Man & the Gun" bears seeing, not least because Robert Redford has announced that it will be his final screen outing. I had never heard of Forrest Tucker before watching this. What I took from it is that Tucker only felt comfortable when robbing banks. He just couldn't stop, no matter what happened. I guess that some people are just like that.
The best scenes are the robberies and Forrest's meetings with Jewel, a woman with whom he strikes up a relationship. The investigations into Forrest's crimes come across as forced (and it's unpleasant to watch Casey Affleck in a movie after the assault allegations against him).
I recommend it. The movie makes sure to give the characters complex personalities, showing Forrest's history. Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek put on fine performances, as expected. Good support comes from Danny Glover and Tom Waits as Forrest's partners-in-crime.
The best scenes are the robberies and Forrest's meetings with Jewel, a woman with whom he strikes up a relationship. The investigations into Forrest's crimes come across as forced (and it's unpleasant to watch Casey Affleck in a movie after the assault allegations against him).
I recommend it. The movie makes sure to give the characters complex personalities, showing Forrest's history. Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek put on fine performances, as expected. Good support comes from Danny Glover and Tom Waits as Forrest's partners-in-crime.
A well-made, old-fashioned yarn, but the laid-back ballad-like tone will be too insubstantial for some
Bertaut27 December 2018
Of all the young American writer/directors to break through in the last few years, for me, Jeff Nichols and David Lowery stand tall; in particular, Nichols's Take Shelter (2011), and Lowery's Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013) and the existential masterpiece that was A Ghost Story (2017). Both filmmakers are five-for-five thus far, with even Lowery's mainstream Disney remake, Pete's Dragon (2016), managing to impress in all sorts of ways I wasn't expecting. Apart from being enjoyable in its own right, it also showed us that Lowery is as comfortable making personal small-scale character dramas as he is big-budget special effects blockbusters. With The Old Man & the Gun, he stands somewhere between - it's not as intimate as St. Nick (2009), Ain't Them Bodies Saints, or A Ghost Story, but neither is it as mainstream as Pete's Dragon. Originally touted as Robert Redford's final performance, although he has walked that claim back somewhat, The Old Man & the Gun is a laid-back ballad-like elegy to both the character Redford is playing and to Redford himself. Filmed in the style of a 1970's indie, Old Man is so tied to Redford as a performer as to be virtually self-referential. In short, if you're not a fan of the actor, you will get absolutely nothing from this film.
Telling the "mostly true" story of Forrest Tucker, Lowery's script is based primarily on David Grann's 2003 New Yorker article of the same name. By the time of the article, the 83-year-old Tucker, who had been robbing banks since his early 20s, had amassed at least 80 successful jobs and escaped from prison 18 times. Usually described by the tellers from whom he stole as "gentlemanly" and "charming", his M.O. never changed - he would walk into a bank and ask if he could open an account. When asked what kind, he would pull back his coat, showing his gun (which was often unloaded, and which he never fired), assure the teller that he didn't want any trouble, and quietly talk them through the process of emptying their till. He would then wish them the best, tell them they'd done well, and walk out. The story takes place in 1981, when Tucker was 61 (although in the film, he's 76), and had recently escaped from San Quentin. Meeting a widow named Jewel (Sissy Spacek), after pulling off a job, they strike up a tentative romance. Meanwhile, he is pursued by Det. John Hunt (Casey Affleck), who is starting to respect him more and more.
The first thing you'll notice about Old Man is its pace, which is measured, to say the least. Ostensibly, this is a heist film, but the crime narrative is very much secondary to tone and character beats. Lowery is relatively uninterested in excitement, suspense, plot twists, or any of the usual generic tropes. Instead, approaching the material casually, he focuses on a year of Tucker's life, with a tone as mellow as a film can be; rather than a shot of absinthe, it's a fine Irish malt drunk at a fireplace. Indeed, even within this structure, there's not a huge amount of character development, nor is there much of a dramatic arc. And that's not a criticism. Rather, the meditative, quasi-somnolent pace is very much one of the film's charms. Additionally, Lowery almost completely ignores what, for many, would be the most interesting part of Tucker's story - his 18 escapes. Instead, he puts them all together into one superb montage.
However, for all that, Lowery's primary goal is to create an ode to an icon, and that icon is Robert Redford. Tucker's story is a vehicle which Lowery uses to celebrate Redford; the character is always there, but he exists behind the actor, rather than the other way around. The audience is never allowed to forget that this is Robert Redford on screen, to the point where the performance is self-referential. Indeed, during the escape montage, there's even a clip of Redford from another film, The Chase (1966). There's an obvious correlation between Tucker and Redford of which Lowery wants the audience to be very aware - they are both elderly, and still doing what they do best, reluctant to stop. We can never look past the fact that Tucker is played by Redford, and for the most part, Redford is playing Redford, with the film existing in large part only because it explicitly leans on his back catalogue and real-life legacy. Essentially, the whole thing is an extended metatextual allegory for Redford's own impending retirement, not to mention his reluctance to let go.
As one would expect from Lowery, aesthetically, the film is fascinating. Lowery is very unusual in the sense that, thus far, he has never used the same cinematographer twice. Here, he uses Joe Anderson, whose cinematography is extremely unique, with the celluloid having a gritty, grainy quality, almost as if it were an amateur project. This is because Lowery shot on Super 16, doing so because he wanted it to look like it had been made in the period in which it was set. This is in direct contrast to, say, how Michael Mann shot Public Enemies (2009), with the use of fast, seemingly anachronistic, digital photography creating a sense that what was happening on screen wasn't necessarily taking place in the past, but could easily have been taking place right now. Lowery, in contrast, tries to suture the viewer into the past milieu.
Another important aesthetic point is how much Lowery has obviously been influenced by Michael Mann, to whom there are several homages - a scene in a diner recalls a similarly shot scene between James Caan and Tuesday Weld in Thief (1981); the scene in the toilet where Hunt approaches Tucker is an obvious nod to Al Pacino confronting Robert De Niro in Heat (1995); and the scene of Tucker gaining inspiration whilst sitting in a cinema recalls a scene where Dillinger (Johnny Depp) does the same thing in Public Enemies.
In terms of problems, there are a few. For many, the film will depend far too much on Redford, specifically the self-referential allusions to his career and legacy. If you're not a fan of his, you will get zero from this, absolutely nothing. Similarly, if you aren't familiar with at least some of his previous work, and his status in Hollywood, the whole thing will probably seem inconsequential. Another problem I have concerns Affleck. I know he's a celebrated actor and so forth, but for me, he plays himself in every single movie. There is virtually nothing to distinguish Hunt from Robert Ford in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) or Les Chandler from Manchester by the Sea (2016), or either of his performances in previous Lowery films. Every performance he gives, he plays a character with the weight of the world on his shoulders, shuffling around, speaking in a low-key hang-dog voice, reluctant to make eye contact, shifting on his feet.
Lowery also has a strange habit of introducing themes which seem to be setting something up, only to completely abandon them without any kind of engagement. This is most obvious in relation to Hunt's inter-racial marriage to Maureen (Tika Sumpter) and their two mixed-race children. This is a fictional element added by Lowery, so one assumes there was some thought behind it. But this is Texas in 1981; there wouldn't have been a huge amount of mixed marriages. Yet Lowery seems to portray it as if it's the most normal thing in the world. Indeed, for the wife and children, life is fairly idyllic, with not a hint of any kind of societal disapproval. Why would you introduce a mixed-race marriage into this milieu without commenting on it?
These issues aside, however, The Old Man & the Gun is a fine film. As much about Robert Redford as it is Forrest Tucker, although that won't appeal to everyone, there is much to praise. Made in a key so low, it's practically subterranean, Lowery hinges everything on Redford's presence, and, for the most part, it works well. There's little in here to get overly excited about, but neither is there much to criticise. Yes, the film is somewhat insubstantial, and there's virtually nothing here beyond the Redford/Tucker character, but it's still beautifully made, and, honestly, there's nothing wrong with spending 93 minutes hanging out with Redford, whether he's playing Forrest Tucker or Robert Redford. Whether or not this is actually his last performance remains to be seen, but if it is, it's as fine a send-off as any Hollywood icon could hope for.
Telling the "mostly true" story of Forrest Tucker, Lowery's script is based primarily on David Grann's 2003 New Yorker article of the same name. By the time of the article, the 83-year-old Tucker, who had been robbing banks since his early 20s, had amassed at least 80 successful jobs and escaped from prison 18 times. Usually described by the tellers from whom he stole as "gentlemanly" and "charming", his M.O. never changed - he would walk into a bank and ask if he could open an account. When asked what kind, he would pull back his coat, showing his gun (which was often unloaded, and which he never fired), assure the teller that he didn't want any trouble, and quietly talk them through the process of emptying their till. He would then wish them the best, tell them they'd done well, and walk out. The story takes place in 1981, when Tucker was 61 (although in the film, he's 76), and had recently escaped from San Quentin. Meeting a widow named Jewel (Sissy Spacek), after pulling off a job, they strike up a tentative romance. Meanwhile, he is pursued by Det. John Hunt (Casey Affleck), who is starting to respect him more and more.
The first thing you'll notice about Old Man is its pace, which is measured, to say the least. Ostensibly, this is a heist film, but the crime narrative is very much secondary to tone and character beats. Lowery is relatively uninterested in excitement, suspense, plot twists, or any of the usual generic tropes. Instead, approaching the material casually, he focuses on a year of Tucker's life, with a tone as mellow as a film can be; rather than a shot of absinthe, it's a fine Irish malt drunk at a fireplace. Indeed, even within this structure, there's not a huge amount of character development, nor is there much of a dramatic arc. And that's not a criticism. Rather, the meditative, quasi-somnolent pace is very much one of the film's charms. Additionally, Lowery almost completely ignores what, for many, would be the most interesting part of Tucker's story - his 18 escapes. Instead, he puts them all together into one superb montage.
However, for all that, Lowery's primary goal is to create an ode to an icon, and that icon is Robert Redford. Tucker's story is a vehicle which Lowery uses to celebrate Redford; the character is always there, but he exists behind the actor, rather than the other way around. The audience is never allowed to forget that this is Robert Redford on screen, to the point where the performance is self-referential. Indeed, during the escape montage, there's even a clip of Redford from another film, The Chase (1966). There's an obvious correlation between Tucker and Redford of which Lowery wants the audience to be very aware - they are both elderly, and still doing what they do best, reluctant to stop. We can never look past the fact that Tucker is played by Redford, and for the most part, Redford is playing Redford, with the film existing in large part only because it explicitly leans on his back catalogue and real-life legacy. Essentially, the whole thing is an extended metatextual allegory for Redford's own impending retirement, not to mention his reluctance to let go.
As one would expect from Lowery, aesthetically, the film is fascinating. Lowery is very unusual in the sense that, thus far, he has never used the same cinematographer twice. Here, he uses Joe Anderson, whose cinematography is extremely unique, with the celluloid having a gritty, grainy quality, almost as if it were an amateur project. This is because Lowery shot on Super 16, doing so because he wanted it to look like it had been made in the period in which it was set. This is in direct contrast to, say, how Michael Mann shot Public Enemies (2009), with the use of fast, seemingly anachronistic, digital photography creating a sense that what was happening on screen wasn't necessarily taking place in the past, but could easily have been taking place right now. Lowery, in contrast, tries to suture the viewer into the past milieu.
Another important aesthetic point is how much Lowery has obviously been influenced by Michael Mann, to whom there are several homages - a scene in a diner recalls a similarly shot scene between James Caan and Tuesday Weld in Thief (1981); the scene in the toilet where Hunt approaches Tucker is an obvious nod to Al Pacino confronting Robert De Niro in Heat (1995); and the scene of Tucker gaining inspiration whilst sitting in a cinema recalls a scene where Dillinger (Johnny Depp) does the same thing in Public Enemies.
In terms of problems, there are a few. For many, the film will depend far too much on Redford, specifically the self-referential allusions to his career and legacy. If you're not a fan of his, you will get zero from this, absolutely nothing. Similarly, if you aren't familiar with at least some of his previous work, and his status in Hollywood, the whole thing will probably seem inconsequential. Another problem I have concerns Affleck. I know he's a celebrated actor and so forth, but for me, he plays himself in every single movie. There is virtually nothing to distinguish Hunt from Robert Ford in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) or Les Chandler from Manchester by the Sea (2016), or either of his performances in previous Lowery films. Every performance he gives, he plays a character with the weight of the world on his shoulders, shuffling around, speaking in a low-key hang-dog voice, reluctant to make eye contact, shifting on his feet.
Lowery also has a strange habit of introducing themes which seem to be setting something up, only to completely abandon them without any kind of engagement. This is most obvious in relation to Hunt's inter-racial marriage to Maureen (Tika Sumpter) and their two mixed-race children. This is a fictional element added by Lowery, so one assumes there was some thought behind it. But this is Texas in 1981; there wouldn't have been a huge amount of mixed marriages. Yet Lowery seems to portray it as if it's the most normal thing in the world. Indeed, for the wife and children, life is fairly idyllic, with not a hint of any kind of societal disapproval. Why would you introduce a mixed-race marriage into this milieu without commenting on it?
These issues aside, however, The Old Man & the Gun is a fine film. As much about Robert Redford as it is Forrest Tucker, although that won't appeal to everyone, there is much to praise. Made in a key so low, it's practically subterranean, Lowery hinges everything on Redford's presence, and, for the most part, it works well. There's little in here to get overly excited about, but neither is there much to criticise. Yes, the film is somewhat insubstantial, and there's virtually nothing here beyond the Redford/Tucker character, but it's still beautifully made, and, honestly, there's nothing wrong with spending 93 minutes hanging out with Redford, whether he's playing Forrest Tucker or Robert Redford. Whether or not this is actually his last performance remains to be seen, but if it is, it's as fine a send-off as any Hollywood icon could hope for.
Redford is the reason.
JohnDeSando15 October 2018
Watching Robert Redford breeze through The Old Man and the Gun, I am reminded that a minimalist drama like this can serve one purpose only if it wants: See an 82-year-old movie star gracefully perform again, with dignity. However, this film offers more in its smallness: seasoned actors like Sissy Spacek, Danny Glover, and Tom Waits provide momentary joy beyond Redford's sustaining charisma.
Despite the clichéd bank robbery motif, based on the real-life career of serial robber Forrest Tucker, his eighty robberies and 16 prison escapes reveal not a mean man but rather a charmer who robs because it makes him smile and who helps others when he doesn't have to.
Old Man hints at deeper emotional possibilities when it's discovered that his daughter, played by Elizabeth Moss, is unknown to him:
Jewel (Sissy Spacek): "Do you have any children?" Forrest Tucker: "I hope not." The film likes to keep these moments underwritten to suggest the depth as a richness he hasn't ignored but prefers to keep at bay. That spareness of emotion, dialogue, and sustained discourse adds to the mystery of a man who floats above daily intercourse to pursue a passion, albeit robbery.
Redford shuffles a bit like an old man, but he teases us with the wisdom he holds behind that killer smile and a youthful insouciance that makes him ageless.
You will not be revisiting the wisecracking of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid or the sophistication of The Sting; you will get a fun heist film featuring a star who evidences the reason he has 78 entries in his filmography and originated a seminal cultural institution, The Sundance Institute. A bit like the underplaying but still prolific and passionate Forrest Tucker.
It's infectious: "I've been thinking about a bank robbery my whole life." Ryan Gosling
Despite the clichéd bank robbery motif, based on the real-life career of serial robber Forrest Tucker, his eighty robberies and 16 prison escapes reveal not a mean man but rather a charmer who robs because it makes him smile and who helps others when he doesn't have to.
Old Man hints at deeper emotional possibilities when it's discovered that his daughter, played by Elizabeth Moss, is unknown to him:
Jewel (Sissy Spacek): "Do you have any children?" Forrest Tucker: "I hope not." The film likes to keep these moments underwritten to suggest the depth as a richness he hasn't ignored but prefers to keep at bay. That spareness of emotion, dialogue, and sustained discourse adds to the mystery of a man who floats above daily intercourse to pursue a passion, albeit robbery.
Redford shuffles a bit like an old man, but he teases us with the wisdom he holds behind that killer smile and a youthful insouciance that makes him ageless.
You will not be revisiting the wisecracking of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid or the sophistication of The Sting; you will get a fun heist film featuring a star who evidences the reason he has 78 entries in his filmography and originated a seminal cultural institution, The Sundance Institute. A bit like the underplaying but still prolific and passionate Forrest Tucker.
It's infectious: "I've been thinking about a bank robbery my whole life." Ryan Gosling
Though it's stylistic choices are questionable, Robert Redford delivers a good leading performance in The Old Man & the Gun
RforFilm25 October 2018
For what is said to be his final movie, it makes sense to talk about actor Robert Redford. Having been in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and All the President's Men, he has a track record of several classical movies, but has managed to maintain a modern career with All is Lost, the Pete's Dragon remake, and even Captain America: The Winter Soldier. How does he manage to keep a lasting legacy when Hollywood tends to dispose of older actors? Robert Redford's personality represents a certain charisma that's so charming that you feel like you could follow him no matter where. His relaxed, more reserved nature allows him to be seen as a classical and modern face that can be liked by most people.
I think a lot it also comes from how little he reveals about his private life. You get the sense that he has nothing to hide, but nothing to present either. He just seems like one of the few honest faces around Hollywood. Because of this, he's always played good guys, rarely stepping into the role of an antagonist. What's good about his role in The Old Man & the Gun is that he plays a criminal whose constantly on that grey line of good and bad.
In 1981, seventy-year-old Forrest Tucker (played by Robert Redford) is a compulsive robber who has a unique way of cleaning out the bank. Unlike the gun wielding, screaming crooks who threaten to kill everyone, Tucker is more likely to walk in with his team, ask for the manager, and simply tell him or her that the bank is being robbed and will use a gun if necessary. The managers comply as he's never rude, and even charming about it. This puts these people in such a relaxed, clearly thrown off position, that he's usually able to walk out without concern.
According to detective John Hunt (played by Casey Affleck), the man assigned to track Tucker, the old man has been in and out of prison several times, always escaping. Hunt spends his time trying to track Tucker throughout Texas, while maintaining his family life. At the same time, Tucker feels confident enough to not only sit with horse rancher Jewel (played by Sissy Spacek), but to also admit he's a bank robber. She too is charmed by his personality and doesn't object. Tucker continues to rob banks, trying to stay ahead of the police and detective Hunt.
As a final outing, The Old Man & the Gun is a good one to go out on. A good but not great movie. It does take advantage of the kind of person Robert Redford is; a charmer. Though I was hesitant, it turns out with the way Redford portrays Tucker, I could see this person as this plausibly good a robbing places. I am glad they also show that he's not a complete success, as they do show that a lot of what he does is more compulsory then anything. This is the kind of role that needs a Robert Redford. This is the kind of role that I could see Cary Grant or Kirk Douglass could have played if the movie had been made back in the eighties.
Speaking of which, director David Lowery (Pete's Dragon, A Ghost Story) tries hard to emulate the style and look of an eighties movies, with a softer picture and even a grainer look. Though I don't know if this makes the movie bad, I'm not sure why this style was done for this kind of movie. I think it was to have a similar feel for the Redford classic, The Sting.
The reason I bring this up is that it results is more of a "style over substance" movie that I think detracts from the movie's more character driven intention. It's still interesting to hear these characters converse, but something about the way it was made kept me unengaged. I think if the project had been made more traditionally, this may have sold it better, showing that Redford isn't a product of the time. The good news is that much of the style is made up with the material and the actors delivering it.
I'll give this seven old hearing pieces out of ten. Though I'm not sure what could have elevated it as one of the greats of his career, Robert Redford does prove that his charisma can carry a movie fine. It'll defiantly please his fans and those wanting a movie that does feel like an eighties movie; not the cult ones, but the slower, more atmospheric ones like a Robert Altman picture. Give it a watch and see if this was a good one to end on.
I think a lot it also comes from how little he reveals about his private life. You get the sense that he has nothing to hide, but nothing to present either. He just seems like one of the few honest faces around Hollywood. Because of this, he's always played good guys, rarely stepping into the role of an antagonist. What's good about his role in The Old Man & the Gun is that he plays a criminal whose constantly on that grey line of good and bad.
In 1981, seventy-year-old Forrest Tucker (played by Robert Redford) is a compulsive robber who has a unique way of cleaning out the bank. Unlike the gun wielding, screaming crooks who threaten to kill everyone, Tucker is more likely to walk in with his team, ask for the manager, and simply tell him or her that the bank is being robbed and will use a gun if necessary. The managers comply as he's never rude, and even charming about it. This puts these people in such a relaxed, clearly thrown off position, that he's usually able to walk out without concern.
According to detective John Hunt (played by Casey Affleck), the man assigned to track Tucker, the old man has been in and out of prison several times, always escaping. Hunt spends his time trying to track Tucker throughout Texas, while maintaining his family life. At the same time, Tucker feels confident enough to not only sit with horse rancher Jewel (played by Sissy Spacek), but to also admit he's a bank robber. She too is charmed by his personality and doesn't object. Tucker continues to rob banks, trying to stay ahead of the police and detective Hunt.
As a final outing, The Old Man & the Gun is a good one to go out on. A good but not great movie. It does take advantage of the kind of person Robert Redford is; a charmer. Though I was hesitant, it turns out with the way Redford portrays Tucker, I could see this person as this plausibly good a robbing places. I am glad they also show that he's not a complete success, as they do show that a lot of what he does is more compulsory then anything. This is the kind of role that needs a Robert Redford. This is the kind of role that I could see Cary Grant or Kirk Douglass could have played if the movie had been made back in the eighties.
Speaking of which, director David Lowery (Pete's Dragon, A Ghost Story) tries hard to emulate the style and look of an eighties movies, with a softer picture and even a grainer look. Though I don't know if this makes the movie bad, I'm not sure why this style was done for this kind of movie. I think it was to have a similar feel for the Redford classic, The Sting.
The reason I bring this up is that it results is more of a "style over substance" movie that I think detracts from the movie's more character driven intention. It's still interesting to hear these characters converse, but something about the way it was made kept me unengaged. I think if the project had been made more traditionally, this may have sold it better, showing that Redford isn't a product of the time. The good news is that much of the style is made up with the material and the actors delivering it.
I'll give this seven old hearing pieces out of ten. Though I'm not sure what could have elevated it as one of the greats of his career, Robert Redford does prove that his charisma can carry a movie fine. It'll defiantly please his fans and those wanting a movie that does feel like an eighties movie; not the cult ones, but the slower, more atmospheric ones like a Robert Altman picture. Give it a watch and see if this was a good one to end on.
Redford Charms in Breezy, Repetitive Heist Comedy
bastille-852-73154729 September 2018
Robert Redford headlines this new dramedy from David Lowery (whose last film, "A Ghost Story," I found riveting,) by playing an elderly bank robber who has escaped from prison over a dozen times, and is looking to find love with a woman (Sissy Spacek) while being investigated by law enforcement. The film's old-fashioned color palette, low-key charms, and leisurely pacing feel like a throwback to classic filmmaking in a manner almost never seen in today's modern films, even independent ones. It's impossible not to smile at Redford and Spacek's charisma, and the simple score is charming and lovely. The film certainly has its fair share of amusing and entertaining moments, many of which involve bank robbery attempts and prison escapes. That said, the movie has some noticeable problems with its narrative.
The main problem with the film's story is not that it is contrived (it can be, but it is not too difficult for the viewer to suspend disbelief while watching this film.) Rather, it is that the film can be repetitive. The film's use of montages and similar plot devices (like juxtapositions of bank robbery scenes followed by subsequent juxtapositions of scenes showing the personal lives of major characters) get too repetitive, so much that it is somewhat difficult to feel impacted by their stylistic role in the narrative. For a movie that only lasts a fleeting 93 minutes, the film oddly feels a bit long as well. These narrative issues are (unfortunately) very structural in terms of how they affect the film as a whole, which can be judged by the viewer against the film's positive elements (the performances, simple aesthetics, and tone.) Recommended for theatrical viewing to fans of the cast; all others should probably wait to rent it. 6.5/10
The main problem with the film's story is not that it is contrived (it can be, but it is not too difficult for the viewer to suspend disbelief while watching this film.) Rather, it is that the film can be repetitive. The film's use of montages and similar plot devices (like juxtapositions of bank robbery scenes followed by subsequent juxtapositions of scenes showing the personal lives of major characters) get too repetitive, so much that it is somewhat difficult to feel impacted by their stylistic role in the narrative. For a movie that only lasts a fleeting 93 minutes, the film oddly feels a bit long as well. These narrative issues are (unfortunately) very structural in terms of how they affect the film as a whole, which can be judged by the viewer against the film's positive elements (the performances, simple aesthetics, and tone.) Recommended for theatrical viewing to fans of the cast; all others should probably wait to rent it. 6.5/10
Low-key comedy crime drama with a fusion of past cinematic elements
tabuno28 January 2019
Robert Redford, Sissy Spacek, and Ben Affleck star in this low-key crime, comedy, drama. With more informal elements from Heat (1995) starring Al Pacino and Robert de Niro with an interweaving focus on both the criminal and the law enforcement characters and a relational theme reminiscent of The Bridges of Madison County with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep, this movie uses what seems like unnecessary experiment uses of the camera resulting in some odd off scene focuses and seems almost too slow in places with its pacing like the aging characters themselves. The strength of the movie though are its reflections on being old and the flashes of elegance as a criminal gentleman from Robert Redford. The storyline has some emotive punch and a bit of drama, yet it also becomes unnecessarily puzzling towards the end with how the criminal justice system metes out justice. The ending itself seems more of a puff ball ending that avoids the more poignant meaningful conclusion to a life of crime.
A Sorry Waste of Tom Waits
half_monty22 October 2018
If you took all the scenes in this movie, tossed them in the air and reassembled them in whatever order they came to hand -- and you did this fifty times -- you'd have the same movie every time. It consists of a bunch of Robert Redford winks and nods juxtaposed with a recurring clip of a guy in a fedora walking into a bank. That's the way it starts, and that's the way it ends, the only variation being an occasional glimpse of two old folks having a cup of coffee in a diner. The movie advertises the great Tom Waits as a member of the cast, but gives Mr. Waits a bare three-minute dialogue (the movie's highlight), seeing no reason to let him sing a song or even to include a Tom Waits song in its score. Too bad, because this is a film that could have used a soulful, raspy voice in the background, there being so little of interest happening in the foreground.
Redford delivers, but Affleck disappoints.
Top_Dawg_Critic26 January 2020
This role was perfect for the legendary Robert Redford, and Sissy Spacek fit in perfectly as his love interest, but I was really disappointed with Casey Afflecks stale monotonic performance. I'm sure there were better casting choices that would've been as better fit with the two star icons. The story was told a little too slow, but Redford held it all together. It was good to see Danny Glover on the screen again. The 93 min runtime was perfect, I just wish there was more content/substance -maybe one of his escapes. Nevertheless, an enjoyable sit-back-and-relax biopic. It's a 7/10 from me.
A Calm and Relaxing Watch
kjproulx15 September 2018
When have you ever been able to sit back and watch a man commit a crime with a smile on his face and not even feel remotely bad for the people he is victimizing? Personally, I always watch heist movies and feel bad for the victims, regardless of how truly endangered they are. If your leading man or lady has good intentions, then it becomes easier to watch, but I've never quite had an experience like The Old Man and the Gun before. This is a film that takes its time telling the story at hand and there's hardly ever an exciting moment, but it never feels like it drags. This is (surprisingly) a true story that I believe everyone will get a kick out of and here's why.
Following Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford) after he has escaped from prison, The Old Man and the Gun is really just about a man who doesn't have many years left in his life and simply wishes to do what makes him happy. Robbing banks in the most polite way that he possibly can, without ever harming anyone, and pretty much always getting away with it, the character of Forrest is absolutely perfect for the way this film portrays him. Whether he's in a high-speed chase to the sound of a calm country song or sitting in a diner with a woman whom he's trying to form a connection with, this is truly one of the most relaxing experiences I think I've ever had at the movies in quite some time.
Robert Redford has always been a likable screen presence. Since his early days in movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to even small roles in films like Pete's Dragon today, he has always had the charisma to charm his audience. This may very well be his final performance and if that's really the case, I believe he has gone out on a very high note. I don't believe this film isn't going to win any awards or really be nominated for all that much, but in terms of purely enjoying a character on-screen, The Old Man and the Gun delivers on everything you'd expect, and then some.
Yes, as I said, this is a very calm film, so what's a calm experience without the much-needed elements. For a movie like this, you'd expect a slow score and music that will put you at ease, along with some solid comedy in the moments where he may be going a little too far for his particular characteristics. The film provides all of that and more. There were moments where I felt he was about to go out of character, but then the film either came up with a joke to make you feel comfortable about his choices or played a country song that was so on the nose that it makes you laugh. For as slow as this film is, it never once had me checking my watch. This 90-minute film flies by, even with its slow pace.
In the end, The Old Man and the Gun is the type of film that's very hard to find a complaint about. It has a specific direction and it sticks with it throughout its entire duration. It's about a wanted gentleman who goes under the radar and robs banks, finds love and is continuously hunted by the police (namely a cop played by Casey Affleck, who is also extremely enjoyable in the movie). Look, if you're looking for a complex cops and robbers story, then I would look elsewhere, but if you just want to relax at the movies and have a good time, this is the perfect film for exactly that. The Old Man and the Gun comes highly recommended from me.
Following Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford) after he has escaped from prison, The Old Man and the Gun is really just about a man who doesn't have many years left in his life and simply wishes to do what makes him happy. Robbing banks in the most polite way that he possibly can, without ever harming anyone, and pretty much always getting away with it, the character of Forrest is absolutely perfect for the way this film portrays him. Whether he's in a high-speed chase to the sound of a calm country song or sitting in a diner with a woman whom he's trying to form a connection with, this is truly one of the most relaxing experiences I think I've ever had at the movies in quite some time.
Robert Redford has always been a likable screen presence. Since his early days in movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to even small roles in films like Pete's Dragon today, he has always had the charisma to charm his audience. This may very well be his final performance and if that's really the case, I believe he has gone out on a very high note. I don't believe this film isn't going to win any awards or really be nominated for all that much, but in terms of purely enjoying a character on-screen, The Old Man and the Gun delivers on everything you'd expect, and then some.
Yes, as I said, this is a very calm film, so what's a calm experience without the much-needed elements. For a movie like this, you'd expect a slow score and music that will put you at ease, along with some solid comedy in the moments where he may be going a little too far for his particular characteristics. The film provides all of that and more. There were moments where I felt he was about to go out of character, but then the film either came up with a joke to make you feel comfortable about his choices or played a country song that was so on the nose that it makes you laugh. For as slow as this film is, it never once had me checking my watch. This 90-minute film flies by, even with its slow pace.
In the end, The Old Man and the Gun is the type of film that's very hard to find a complaint about. It has a specific direction and it sticks with it throughout its entire duration. It's about a wanted gentleman who goes under the radar and robs banks, finds love and is continuously hunted by the police (namely a cop played by Casey Affleck, who is also extremely enjoyable in the movie). Look, if you're looking for a complex cops and robbers story, then I would look elsewhere, but if you just want to relax at the movies and have a good time, this is the perfect film for exactly that. The Old Man and the Gun comes highly recommended from me.
Forgettable.
ThunderQunt8 February 2022
I watched it just yesterday and I can't even remember anything to write about today. I guess this summarises the movie as a whole. It wasn't bad but it wasn't anything worth remembering. Just a movie that came and went. Nothing impactful be it positively or negatively. There you go. Take this review however you want.
The last hurrah
TheLittleSongbird29 December 2018
Touted as Robert Redford's final film, its main interest point, 'The Old Man and the Gun' interested me even further with positive word of mouth from trusted friends and critics and being among the higher rated films of the year. Alongside ever charming Redford, having the likes of Danny Glover, Tom Waits, Casey Affleck and Sissy Spacek in the same film and that it was directed by David Lowery (best known to me for 'A Ghost Story' and 'Pete's Dragon', found myself liking both in their own way for different reasons, although the former is very polarising) also promises a lot.
While not without its issues, 'The Old Man and the Gun' has a huge amount to recommend and its best assets are pretty wonderful. It very nearly became one of my favourite films of the year, and although it doesn't quite reach that it still is one of 2018's better films from personal opinion and every bit as deserving of the praise it's garnered. That is saying a fair bit as it has been a hit and miss year. And if it really is Redford's last film, he definitely goes out on a high and the film does him justice. Can see that 'The Old Man and the Gun' has not worked for all and that is understandable, it is not hard to see why it hasn't connected with some and any criticisms regarding some of the storytelling and pace are in my opinion valid.
Did think that there are draggy stretches and parts where the storytelling borders on the repetitive side. The ending is rather anti-climactic.
Also felt that Casey Affleck's role was underwritten, it actually felt like it was intended to be a lead role but truncated, and Affleck is a little too laconic in it at times, though there are enough instances to show that it is actually still plays to his strengths as an actor.
However, 'The Old Man and the Gun' is very rewarding elsewhere. Redford piles on the likeability and charm with effortless ease, really terrific work in a performance that dominates in a good way the film, and some of his best in years. The pathos that Sissy Spacek brings to her role is truly moving and while Danny Glover and Tom Waits don't have large roles, somewhat unshowy, they do make strong impressions because their screen presences are pitched perfectly. The character wriitng helps make the characters mostly compelling and they feel like real people, that for Redford's character has remarkable depth and there is a constant sense that Lowery and everybody else had immense respect for Redford without being self-indulgent. Lowery similarly directs impeccably, doing wonders with a story that fits so well with his style. Much of 'The Old Man and the Gun' has a relaxed style but still has momentum to stop it from being aimless.
Visually, 'The Old Man and the Gun' is cleverly shot, with use of zooming and whip-pans, old-school style, that is stylish and affectionate rather than cheap. The scenery and production design are handsome and evocative without being too clean. The music is never too intrusive or too low-key, the jazzy nature nicely understated in parts in a very soothing sense while packing a punch in others. The script doesn't ramble or feel padded and has enough tautness and emotion. 'The Old Man and the Gun' boasts some thrilling action pieces enhanced by the photography, the robberies having the right amount of tension and brio, and the nods to past films, basically looking back on Redford's career and filmography, are affectionate rather than gimmicky. But it works even better in the calmer more introspective character moments. These moments are very charming and also very poignant.
Overall, a very good film with many excellent elements. 8/10 Bethany Cox
While not without its issues, 'The Old Man and the Gun' has a huge amount to recommend and its best assets are pretty wonderful. It very nearly became one of my favourite films of the year, and although it doesn't quite reach that it still is one of 2018's better films from personal opinion and every bit as deserving of the praise it's garnered. That is saying a fair bit as it has been a hit and miss year. And if it really is Redford's last film, he definitely goes out on a high and the film does him justice. Can see that 'The Old Man and the Gun' has not worked for all and that is understandable, it is not hard to see why it hasn't connected with some and any criticisms regarding some of the storytelling and pace are in my opinion valid.
Did think that there are draggy stretches and parts where the storytelling borders on the repetitive side. The ending is rather anti-climactic.
Also felt that Casey Affleck's role was underwritten, it actually felt like it was intended to be a lead role but truncated, and Affleck is a little too laconic in it at times, though there are enough instances to show that it is actually still plays to his strengths as an actor.
However, 'The Old Man and the Gun' is very rewarding elsewhere. Redford piles on the likeability and charm with effortless ease, really terrific work in a performance that dominates in a good way the film, and some of his best in years. The pathos that Sissy Spacek brings to her role is truly moving and while Danny Glover and Tom Waits don't have large roles, somewhat unshowy, they do make strong impressions because their screen presences are pitched perfectly. The character wriitng helps make the characters mostly compelling and they feel like real people, that for Redford's character has remarkable depth and there is a constant sense that Lowery and everybody else had immense respect for Redford without being self-indulgent. Lowery similarly directs impeccably, doing wonders with a story that fits so well with his style. Much of 'The Old Man and the Gun' has a relaxed style but still has momentum to stop it from being aimless.
Visually, 'The Old Man and the Gun' is cleverly shot, with use of zooming and whip-pans, old-school style, that is stylish and affectionate rather than cheap. The scenery and production design are handsome and evocative without being too clean. The music is never too intrusive or too low-key, the jazzy nature nicely understated in parts in a very soothing sense while packing a punch in others. The script doesn't ramble or feel padded and has enough tautness and emotion. 'The Old Man and the Gun' boasts some thrilling action pieces enhanced by the photography, the robberies having the right amount of tension and brio, and the nods to past films, basically looking back on Redford's career and filmography, are affectionate rather than gimmicky. But it works even better in the calmer more introspective character moments. These moments are very charming and also very poignant.
Overall, a very good film with many excellent elements. 8/10 Bethany Cox
Goodbye Robert Redford
newsofthegalaxy20 October 2018
I saw The Old Man & The Gun yesterday night and I liked it well enough at the time. Thinking about it more today I realized other than a couple of brief ones from the end and beginning of the movie I don't really remember anything. I know the mark of a good movie is not always that you remember it forever and you think about it all the time but it is kind of important to make it impactful. This movie is based on a mostly true story so I understand that they had to base it in reality but I think something that might have added a bit more flavor would be a bit more action. This doesn't have to be car chases but the movie sets up these problems for Robert Redfords character Forrest Tucker and then the forget about a lot of them.
What I liked about the movie was first the acting, I have always been a fan of Robert Redford but in this movie he is like a smooth glass of whiskey. He has so much charm and knowns the role he is playing so well that you when he smiles you can't help but smile with him. Sissy Spacek, and Cassy Affleck both turn in damn fine performances, I think Casey Affleck is almost playing himself in this movie and looks realistically tired and somber for someone who doesn't like his job. Danny Glover and Tom Waits are Redfords partners in crime and they do a very good job also but each have about 14 minutes of screen time so I would have liked to have seen them more. Also the director David Lowery does a pretty good job at making you feel the time and place, not I a super obvious way like a bunch of news headlines put together explaining the big events of that year but in a quite way. The movies goes down pretty smooth there's some action but it slow and not the main point of the movie. The end of this movie without spoiling it is very enjoyable.
What I didn't like: now I've seen slow movies before but this movie adds slow to a soft piano score and Redfords smooth as butter voice and you get a put you to sleep movie. I had a hard time staying awake watching it and that is a bit because it is around 20 minutes to long. The story starts very slow in the beginning and at the end it races through around 10 years and then ends. That's kind of strange. Also the soundtrack is unremarkable or not present at best and extremely uneven and boarding at worst. Also it has about at much suspense as a drivers ED video.
All in all this is a fine movie, it is powered by the performances of it's legendary cast and will make you smile throughout and then maybe check your watch a couple of times.
Oh one last thing, this kind of feels like a unofficial sequel to The Natural so that was kind of cool.
What I liked about the movie was first the acting, I have always been a fan of Robert Redford but in this movie he is like a smooth glass of whiskey. He has so much charm and knowns the role he is playing so well that you when he smiles you can't help but smile with him. Sissy Spacek, and Cassy Affleck both turn in damn fine performances, I think Casey Affleck is almost playing himself in this movie and looks realistically tired and somber for someone who doesn't like his job. Danny Glover and Tom Waits are Redfords partners in crime and they do a very good job also but each have about 14 minutes of screen time so I would have liked to have seen them more. Also the director David Lowery does a pretty good job at making you feel the time and place, not I a super obvious way like a bunch of news headlines put together explaining the big events of that year but in a quite way. The movies goes down pretty smooth there's some action but it slow and not the main point of the movie. The end of this movie without spoiling it is very enjoyable.
What I didn't like: now I've seen slow movies before but this movie adds slow to a soft piano score and Redfords smooth as butter voice and you get a put you to sleep movie. I had a hard time staying awake watching it and that is a bit because it is around 20 minutes to long. The story starts very slow in the beginning and at the end it races through around 10 years and then ends. That's kind of strange. Also the soundtrack is unremarkable or not present at best and extremely uneven and boarding at worst. Also it has about at much suspense as a drivers ED video.
All in all this is a fine movie, it is powered by the performances of it's legendary cast and will make you smile throughout and then maybe check your watch a couple of times.
Oh one last thing, this kind of feels like a unofficial sequel to The Natural so that was kind of cool.
Interesting true story, but lacklustre execution
gavinp913 November 2018
'The Old Man & The Gun' is Robert Redford's final acting role. It's not quite a fitting finale - he's great as Forrest Tucker, the aging bank robber, but the overall film fall's a little flat. Based on a true story, most of his exciting adventures and prison breaks are glossed over, in favour of him finding late-life love with (Spacek). He can't curb his compulsion to rob banks however, and it assisted by Teddy (Glover) & Waller (Waits), but underutilised.
Detective Hunt (Affleck) is the Texas cop out to catch him - we also spend unnecessary amounts of time with his home-life. The chemistry between Redford and Spacek is good, and he's still as charming as ever. Affleck plays an exhausted cop as almost too dreary. Instead of seeing any heist planning or prison breaks (besides a montage), we instead get Redford and Spacek talking in a diner, walking, or making tea.
Thankfully, it's a quick 90min film, but the pacing and action could've been much better. Tehre's some chuckles, but nothing hilarious. You're better off re-watching 'The Sting'!
Detective Hunt (Affleck) is the Texas cop out to catch him - we also spend unnecessary amounts of time with his home-life. The chemistry between Redford and Spacek is good, and he's still as charming as ever. Affleck plays an exhausted cop as almost too dreary. Instead of seeing any heist planning or prison breaks (besides a montage), we instead get Redford and Spacek talking in a diner, walking, or making tea.
Thankfully, it's a quick 90min film, but the pacing and action could've been much better. Tehre's some chuckles, but nothing hilarious. You're better off re-watching 'The Sting'!
A nice movie
srdjan_veljkovic5 January 2019
Warning: Spoilers
There are several aspects of this movie. First, it's a movie about an ageing career criminal. But, he's not a violent criminal. He's a nice criminal. He's good at it. He likes it. He mostly steels from the banks (and for most people, that's not a problem, their money is insured by the government).
The other aspect is that it's a farewell movie of actor Robert Redford, by his own words. Now, it's possible he will come back in some movie if the role interests him, but, it's not very likely. He does play this movie like a long goodbye. The ending of the movie is also shot like a farewell, with scenes from Redford's old movies (depicting our protagonist in his youth). It's a touching sequence.
The final aspect is that this movie is nice. People have forgotten how to be nice and just do their job, whether it's to be a criminal, a cop, a horse-owner, a banker. It's not hard and makes things easier for everybody.
Unfortunately, the movie itself is not as good as it could have been. Until the final act, it's pretty slow and, at times, dull. Then it speeds up, but also jumps around. There surely are some more interesting things to investigate in this "Old Gang", both in fun to be had and their personalities. Also, Casey Affleck, as the guy chasing the Old Gang, is not well explored, and, quite frankly, not the best cast. You see why the picked him, as this cop is lost, and he's good at playing such characters, but, that's not all there is to him (or should be).
Bottom line, this is a movie to see mostly because of Redford's goodbye. Let's just hope that someone can pick up the mantle of being the nice guy.
The other aspect is that it's a farewell movie of actor Robert Redford, by his own words. Now, it's possible he will come back in some movie if the role interests him, but, it's not very likely. He does play this movie like a long goodbye. The ending of the movie is also shot like a farewell, with scenes from Redford's old movies (depicting our protagonist in his youth). It's a touching sequence.
The final aspect is that this movie is nice. People have forgotten how to be nice and just do their job, whether it's to be a criminal, a cop, a horse-owner, a banker. It's not hard and makes things easier for everybody.
Unfortunately, the movie itself is not as good as it could have been. Until the final act, it's pretty slow and, at times, dull. Then it speeds up, but also jumps around. There surely are some more interesting things to investigate in this "Old Gang", both in fun to be had and their personalities. Also, Casey Affleck, as the guy chasing the Old Gang, is not well explored, and, quite frankly, not the best cast. You see why the picked him, as this cop is lost, and he's good at playing such characters, but, that's not all there is to him (or should be).
Bottom line, this is a movie to see mostly because of Redford's goodbye. Let's just hope that someone can pick up the mantle of being the nice guy.
Slow but enjoyable film!
kylerafa2 January 2019
Brilliant and sweet acting by Redford and Affleck. The film not only talks about criminality but also, about humanity. I liked that the criminal here isn't always represented as "THE EVIL" knowing everyone is human and despite all the Bad Things human Can do, it Always has a positive side. The films relates also Friendship and love to me, because no matter what, love is love ; people are humans. However, what I disliked about the film was the little disorder and long storytelling of the first 30 mn which also should had more actions, but the remaining parts were definitely enjoyable.
Charming, but Empty
gassydabber5 August 2019
I'm glad an old white dude got to rob banks mostly unperturbed for an extended period of time. I'm glad he made people smile while he did it and them not feel too frightened by the experience. I'm glad he got the chance to feel alive and not feel like a wage slave.
I get why he did it, I just don't care any more than a "...good for him." as a response.
There is nothing wrong with the execution of this story. Redford and Spacek are delightful. It is shot on beautiful 16mm film. The colors, the direction, the soundtrack-- all stellar.
But I mean... why tell this story? Who saw a man robbing a banks with a smile and asked "why is he doing that?" I'm not sure. But you have your answer with this movie, and... well, it's about as exciting as the title implies.
If you want to relax, watch this movie.If you want something insightful, moving, dramatic, or inspire any feeling in you whatsoever, maybe go watch something else.
I get why he did it, I just don't care any more than a "...good for him." as a response.
There is nothing wrong with the execution of this story. Redford and Spacek are delightful. It is shot on beautiful 16mm film. The colors, the direction, the soundtrack-- all stellar.
But I mean... why tell this story? Who saw a man robbing a banks with a smile and asked "why is he doing that?" I'm not sure. But you have your answer with this movie, and... well, it's about as exciting as the title implies.
If you want to relax, watch this movie.If you want something insightful, moving, dramatic, or inspire any feeling in you whatsoever, maybe go watch something else.
MEH
vituperateelsewhere1 October 2018
A Nice funny movie, terrible voice by Casey Affleck
viralnmody2 January 2019
Overall a Nice feel good movie to watch.
My Only gripe...Casey Affleck..He with his mustache makes it almost impossible to understand what he is saying ! Didn't the editors or the Director realise this? It's impossible to watch this movie without Sub-Titles
I like to enjoy the movie, not strain my ears or read sub-titles while watching it.
My Only gripe...Casey Affleck..He with his mustache makes it almost impossible to understand what he is saying ! Didn't the editors or the Director realise this? It's impossible to watch this movie without Sub-Titles
I like to enjoy the movie, not strain my ears or read sub-titles while watching it.
Could Have Been Better
billcr123 January 2019
Robert Redford's final film role as an actor is not bad, but it could have been better. Bob is a seventy-something year-old bank robber with good manners. This is based on a true story and the supporting cast is excellent, from Sissy Spacek as a love interest to Casey Affleck as the cop in pursuit of the criminal. Tom Waits is under used as a fellow bad guy. Check out The Ballad of Buster Scruggs for a better use of Mr. Wait's talents as both an actor and songwriter. The film moves quickly and has an easygoing style and at only ninety two minutes an okay diversion for an evening.
83 year old Robert Redford still going strong and a gentleman!
UniqueParticle27 June 2019
Incredibly compelling sweet heist movie, unlike most action ones this isn't as keen on violence and more about being adorably old, while capable of robbing a bunch of banks. Nice to see the wonderful Tom Waits and Sissy Spacek; David Lowery directed a really cool gentle film! Nice that there's a variety of brutal heist movies and then there's this that is calm and heartwarming.
Not that interesting
amarshoaib11 August 2020
Redford Delivers in a beautiful send off
jefflarflar18 November 2018
Robert Redford is given a poetic and charming farewell in The Old Man & the Gun. He plays a man that refused to change the way he lived life and finds it all the more important to him as he comes to the end of the line. Redford is as cool as ever in this delivering every line like a man you can never truly hate but you know you probably should.
Supported by the terrific Sissy Spacek and Casey Affleck the film is a level headed easy going take on what appears to be a very easy going man that had a unique way of living his life. Beautifully shot and scored the film embraces it's status as Redford's farewell and by the end you can't help but smile and accept his goodbye.
The films slow pace only serves to emphasise who Forrest was and what he wanted life to be. It also allows for some of the films best lines to be delivered with a poignant impact particularly as Redford and Spacek dwell on life on the porch of her house.
All in all this is a must see for any fans of Redford and for all fans of low-key but nonetheless entertaining films.
Supported by the terrific Sissy Spacek and Casey Affleck the film is a level headed easy going take on what appears to be a very easy going man that had a unique way of living his life. Beautifully shot and scored the film embraces it's status as Redford's farewell and by the end you can't help but smile and accept his goodbye.
The films slow pace only serves to emphasise who Forrest was and what he wanted life to be. It also allows for some of the films best lines to be delivered with a poignant impact particularly as Redford and Spacek dwell on life on the porch of her house.
All in all this is a must see for any fans of Redford and for all fans of low-key but nonetheless entertaining films.
The Old Man and The Gun (2018)
leodegreat16 January 2019
A worthy farewell for Robert Redford. The cop - criminal relationship and the hero's cocky confident attittude reminded me of Catch Me If You Can. Another movie of the scape and also inspired by a real story. The romance scenes were really good too. Worth your time.
The Old Man and the Gun - Very disappointing unless you're an insomniac.
brankovranjkovic15 December 2018
Bank robber drama based on a true story.
A disappointing film about an aged compulsive bank robber, similar atmosphere to 'Catch me if You Can'. At my screening the audience was mainly aged, older than me at least.
The plot is an old gentleman who is addicted to robbing banks in a quiet, slow and polite manner. He's also escaped prison 17 times in the past, the breakouts are summarised towards the end.
My wife fell asleep half way for 30-40 minutes but picked up the plot again without any problems. Looks like a 'made for TV movie' - definitely would not watch again. Very disappointing unless you're an insomniac.
A disappointing film about an aged compulsive bank robber, similar atmosphere to 'Catch me if You Can'. At my screening the audience was mainly aged, older than me at least.
The plot is an old gentleman who is addicted to robbing banks in a quiet, slow and polite manner. He's also escaped prison 17 times in the past, the breakouts are summarised towards the end.
My wife fell asleep half way for 30-40 minutes but picked up the plot again without any problems. Looks like a 'made for TV movie' - definitely would not watch again. Very disappointing unless you're an insomniac.
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