Skip to main content
The best of 2018: The Old Man & the Gun

A review by Brooks Rich

2018 could very well have given us the last leading performance by a Hollywood legend. Robert Redford is one of the few remaining screen icons, a man who just defines cool when you see him on the screen, even at eighty-two. There aren’t really any actors like Redford anymore. His peers would be actors like Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, actors who just need to be on screen and can do so much by doing so little. True actors with gravitas. 
The Old Man & the Gun is not necessarily a tour de force performance for the actor, look to his performance in 2013’s All Is Lost for what could be his best performance and one of the greatest performances of all time, but Redford’s turn in The Old Man & the Gun seems tailor made for him. Who else but Redford could play a kind hearted bank robber? Redford is Forrest Tucker, a bank robber with a heart of a gold. Starring alongside Redford is screen legend in her own right Sissy Spacek as Jewel, his romantic interest, and Casey Affleck as John Hunt, a detective on his tail. All three leads perform admirably and I expect a nomination for Redford this year, although most likely it would just be an honorary nomination with no real chance of him winning. 
The film itself works as both a pseudo heist film and also a charming love story. The scenes between Redford and Spacek are just wonderful and they have real chemistry together. Director David Lowrey knows when to let the film stop and allow these two actors to work together. The film is at its strongest when Redford and Spacek are together and Lowery knew this. 
       The film isn’t perfect. There are some editing choices that are a bit strange and without spoiling something, a big moment in the film happens off screen. There is an art to having events in a film happen off screen but I’m not sure it works here. The Old Man & The Gun is not an amazing film but it is a very good film. It is a sort of throwback to the seventies where films were more deliberately paced. This is not a heist film like the Oceans or Fast and Furious franchise. It’s not even really a heist film. It’s a character study and the possible last ride of a legend. If this is indeed Redford’s last role, it couldn’t be a better fit. I salute you, sir. A career well done.

4/5


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Forgotten Film Friday: Absolute Power

Clint Eastwood stars as Luther Whitney, a jewel thief who works in the Washington DC area. One night while he is stealing from a mansion he is forced to hide in a secret compartment with a two way mirror. From there he observes a sexual rezendevous with the wife of a powerful man and the President of the United States Alan Richmond (Gene Hackman) Suddenly the president gets aggressive and while defending herself the woman is shot to death by two Secret Service agents. Luther manages to get away with a letter opener the woman stabbed the president with. At first Luther plans to flee the country. But when he is disgusted by a statement the president makes, Luther decides to expose the crime. I miss these kind of films. The nineties was a great time for thrillers exactly like this. They are not the flashiest films but they are also not obsessed with big action scenes. It's all plot and character with them. Sure this plot might be a little out there but Eastwood makes it work. He's...
1 comment
Read more

Oscar Bait month: The Shipping News

 A retrospective by Brooks Rich Lasse Hallstrom is one of those directors I think is incredibly talented but his films normally don't do a thing for me. There just always that comes up short for me, whether its the story or how its shot or the acting or something. Most people will know Hallstrom as the director of What's Eating Gilbert Grape, the breakout role of Leonardo Dicaprio. That is probably my favorite of his films. I know everyone loves Chocolat. Great, enjoy, I think it's lame. But today let's discuss his follow up to The Cider House Rules, his film from 1999 which did very well come awards season, and Chocolat. Both of these films did very well, especially The Cider House Rules. The big reward it got was Best Supporting Actor for Michael Caine. It also won Best Adapted Screenplay for John Irving. This isn't fair to Cider House Rules but I think it's overrated as far as nominations go. 1999 is one of the greatest years in cinema and really? We nominate...
Post a Comment
Read more

John Travolta month: Saturday Night Fever

 A retrospective by Brooks Rich So this was not the big start of John Travolta's career. That would be the classic sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter. But this did elevate Travolta to another level. For any of you going oh come on. This silly movie with a disco soundtrack? Come on, Brooks. Just wait. Have you ever actually seen this? This isn't about disco. Disco just happens to be the music of choice. This about the kind of people who are kings at the dance clubs and then losers the rest of the time. There is a lot of darkness and truth in this film. So if you've never seen it please. Do yourself a flavor and check it out. Just watch it and then come back to read this.  This is a movie about the different types of people we become between our real lives and our weekend lives. Tony Manero is a regular working class guy in a Brooklyn neighborhood, struggling to make ends meet and dealing with his loving but at times overbearing family. He lives in the shadow of his priest brother. ...
Post a Comment
Read more