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Post by Viced on Oct 12, 2018 19:01:06 GMT
Very good... but maybe a little too whimsical for my hard-boiled tastes. Wish it dug more into Redford's character instead of just showing us that he's just an old dude who takes great pleasure in robbing banks. Definitely some strong moments -- a random and somewhat effective use of The Kinks' Lola, a montage of prison escapes (that actually could have been a little better), and the bathroom encounter between Redford and Affleck was awesome. Redford is good but it's mainly all charm and not much else... Sissy is a great presence but not really given a whole lot to do... Affleck is ehhhhhh... Tom Waits has maybe the best moment in the movie where his character tells a great story at a bar... Danny Glover isn't really given much to do either. But yeah... charming movie even if I was hoping it'd be a little better. Probably a 7.5/10...
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Post by The_Cake_of_Roth on Oct 12, 2018 19:18:22 GMT
I liked it, but yeah I pretty much agree that it was rather lightweight overall. I wish we got more scenes like the one on the porch with Redford and Spacek just sort of talking about life, and I would have liked it if the film were a bit longer and given a stronger emotional dimension. Some of the reviews called it "moving" and I guess there were some poignant moments, but I was left wanting a bit more out of it. Still an enjoyable little film, and the only thing I've honestly liked from Lowery so far.
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Post by stephen on Oct 27, 2018 21:49:09 GMT
If All Is Lost relied on Robert Redford stretching his acting muscles to hold a film together by the pure force of his talent, The Old Man and the Gun is a film held together by Redford’s natural magnetism and movie-star wattage. A beautifully rendered throwback to the ‘70s classics that made Redford a household icon, David Lowery’s latest film about an elderly heist-man always looking for one more score is as sweetly respectable as its leading man.
Lowery, whose first feature painted the heartbreak of youthful criminals, refocuses his lens here to depict the melancholy of old age, how simple retirement is a death knell for someone who seeks the thrills and joys of living on the edge. And he finds the perfect subject in Forrest Tucker: a real-life septuagenerian thief whose chief weapon isn’t the titular gun but rather his charisma.
Tucker’s antics soon pique the attention of John Hunt (Casey Affleck, carving out quite the niche as Lowery’s muse), a detective eager to spice up the doldrums of approaching middle age by bagging this suave old crook. And while Tucker’s crew (Danny Glover and an excellent Tom Waits) pontificate and philosophize during their scores, Tucker kindles a relationship with a sweet-natured widow (Sissy Spacek), and soon the question becomes whether or not Tucker can abandon his adrenaline-infused lifestyle for a quiet life with his new girl.
Lowery’s ambitions aren’t far-reaching, instead seeking to explore the intimate, the personal, the internal. And it certainly achieves these aims, thanks in large part to the cast’s lovingly rendered work (amplified some gorgeous 16mm cinematography that richly evokes an era long gone by). Even if this film hadn’t been announced (and retracted) as Redford’s acting swan song, one can hardly fault him for wanting to go out on a high note here.
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AKenjiB
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Post by AKenjiB on Nov 4, 2018 20:32:11 GMT
Pretty good. Very light-hearted and charming for the most part. Redford and Spacek have great chemistry. Honestly I did find the ending sorta underwhelming. I guess I would’ve liked to see Spacek’s reaction to the revelation that the man she waited for while he was in prison ultimately loved robbing banks more than he loved her. I’d still recommend it to any fan of Redford. It’s a solid swan song for him. I don’t think an extra ten minutes to flesh things out a tiny bit would’ve hurt though
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Post by alexanderblanchett on Dec 31, 2018 12:38:44 GMT
What I loved about it, is that it took us back to the old fashioned kind of cinema. Not even that old, but 90s old and it was refreshing and extremely comfy to watch. Its also a very nice Swan Song for Robert Redford as he brought back many of the mannerisms and charmes he became famous and popular for. Its a very tender and extremely gentle performance by him and the perfect way to enter retirement. I liked him and it was always a pleasure to see him on screen in this film. The best performance however came from someone else: Sissy Spacek! She is the living prove that subtle performances can be brought to greatness and that a brilliant performance doesnt need screaming or crying. Its just the way you tell your characters story through your eyes, the way you use your voice. I was right with her character and Spacek perfectly reflected its emotions. Its such a calm performance that reminded me on Virginia Madsen's acting in "Sideways" and whole Madsen was a critic darling back then, Spacek is really underrated for the great job she did. The chemistry between her and Robert Redford is also fantastic. I did not like Casey Affleck that much. He just mumbled his way through the performance and this style became very old quickly. His performance did not justify the character, as this could have set up as a more interesting cat and mouse kind of game between the two if Affleck had put more enthusiasm into his role. Danny Glover was wasted while Tom Waits had at least one good scene. Its a very charming and entertaining movie. As much as a heist movie as also a movie about regret and growing old.
Nominations for:
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Sissy Spacek
Rating: 8/10
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Post by Pittsnogle_Goggins on Dec 31, 2018 17:52:41 GMT
Very enjoyable nice little movie. Redford and Spacek carry every scene their in. Waits was great in his small role and Affleck and Glover were fine. Once you accept the film for what it is, it’s easy to just sit back and enjoy.
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Post by JangoB on Jan 1, 2019 18:55:20 GMT
A small but good and laid-back, quietly charming ride.
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Post by getclutch on Jan 2, 2019 9:21:31 GMT
A simple yet well-made film with some hints and nods of nostalgia to Redford's good old days.
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Post by JangoB on Jan 2, 2019 11:47:18 GMT
Btw, how the hell did this not make the shortlist for Original Score? Such good stuff.
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Post by Martin Stett on Aug 5, 2019 1:27:09 GMT
I have to echo Jango on score, but also cinematography. And I'd personally throw in editing but I know I'm the odd duck there.
This is exactly what I expected it to be. Soft and sweet, with Robert Redford proving he is the last true movie star: a man who can smile at the camera and make you come out of this feeling like a god smiled kindly at you.
The whole movie is kind of like that. The big moments are never shown or never happen, and both the cops and the robbers are just normal folk who enjoy everyday, normal things, and love everyday, normal people. The movie is simply a collection of all these people, on all sides of the law, just existing and laughing and trying to make their way.
There's a beauty to that. There's a beauty to a movie that can just kindly smile at you and make your life a little sweeter by being around it, if just for a day or an hour. And this movie possesses that beauty.
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