The Old Man & The Gun (Review)
Robert Redford’s Last Film, The Old Man & The Gun, is a Bitter Sweet Goodbye.
To say that The Old Man & The Gun is a feel-good movie would be a tremendous understatement. The truth is I can’t remember another movie this year that warmed my heart or left me with a genuine smile on my face long after the credits rolled. Director/ writer David Lowery manages to do justice to one of the greatest actors of all time by adapting the tale of a gentleman thief who captured the heart of a nation, including those tasked to catch him. Only the truly heartless won’t enjoy this modern classic that captures the look and feel of Robert Redford from his hay day as a charming heartthrob.
Robert Redford was (and still very much is) the definition of boyish charm. I don’t mean that he’s immature or anything like that. Rather he’s a rascal with a smile that shows just how genuine and innocent he really is deep down. He brings all his warmth and charisma to the role of Forrest Tucker, a master criminal who escaped from prison 16 times and went on a string of bank heists that lasted long into his 70’s. Unlike so many other bank robbers we see on the big screen, his spree wasn’t committed out of greed or desperation. Forrest robbed banks because he loved it so much. It made him feel alive and it was fun. Because of that, he was a total gentleman to the people he robbed and was described by witnesses as simply being “happy.” Because of that, I can’t imagine anyone other than Redford in this role since it fits him as well as the impeccable three-piece suits he wears during his robbery.
Of course, Redford is only able to achieve near perfection in his performance because he’s given such strong actors to work with. His love interest is played by Sissy Spacek who tackles her performance more focused on the bond she shares with Redford’s character rather than as a typical romance. Because of this their relationship is built on friendship at first, and give Redford the chance to pursue her. She’s not falling for it though and knows that boyish grin hides a world of trouble behind it.
Another tremendous performance is delivered by Cassey Affleck, who plays the lawman who takes it upon himself to capture Redford. The thing is that he becomes enamored by this slick thief and eventually starts to question whether he really wants to catch him or not. As his child puts it so eloquently, “if you caught him then you wouldn’t get to chase him anymore.” While I might not like him as a person, I have to commend Affleck for his performance as a weary detective who finds happiness in the journey rather than the destination. The same could be said for the likes of Danny Glover and Tom Waits who play the two other charming old codgers in Redford’s “Over the Hill Gang.” They might not get much screen time, but the chemistry between these veteran actors is palpable and you can’t help but smile at these renegade retirees.
David Lowery manages to capture the very essence of Redford’s classic 70 and 80’s film thanks very much to his cinematographer Joe Anderson. The Old Man & The Gun adopts a warm, almost grainy feel to it that makes it feel very much like one of Redford’s classics, like The String. Anderson uses a lot of movement in his camera work, from following characters down the street to zooms and pans, in order to switch focus. Because of this, The Old Man & The Gun is a very animated and lively film, which helps given that the characters in it aren’t exactly racing around in their old age. Anderson’s style of filmmaking perfectly captures the very heart and soul of this story and adds to the youthful innocence of the characters.
I’m torn up over The Old Man & The Gun. On the one hand, it’s everything I love about classic cinema. It’s a far cry from the gritty, violent bank heist movies like Den of Thieves, and that’s such a welcome relief these days. It’s a film that focused more on telling a story than making a point and for me, that’s what movies are all about. They’re modern folklore, storytelling around a fire to keep the dark at bay. The Old Man & The Gun is a film that is a ray of sunshine in this dark and dreary times we live in today. While the world might be filled with hate, it’s beautiful seeing a character that does everything out of love. He robs banks, woos women, and teases cops because it brings him joy, and in turn, it brings a bit of joy to them as well. We could all learn something from The Old Man & The Gun.
