Film Review: The Old Man & the Gun (2018)
If this truly is Robert Redford’s final performance as he has claimed, he certainly chose an appropriate story to go out on. The Old Man & the Gun works as both a throwback to Redford’s heyday and analysis of aging and the human spirit. If there was ever an actor born to pull off the story of a 70-year-old bank robber and master prison escape artist, it’s Redford. As if we didn’t already know, he proves he’s still got what it takes to charm the hell out of us even at 82. In a career full of integrity, playing a man who lives for thrills and a dedication to his craft seems like a pretty good way to cap it off.
Forrest Tucker (Redford) is a bank robber – and a good one. Not quite good enough to keep him from being in and out of jail his whole life, but still pretty good. At 70, he’s on a crime spree during a stint of freedom after breaking out of prison for the umpteenth time (another skill he’s damn good at). After casually meeting Jewel (Sissy Spacek) during the getaway of his latest heist, he’s offered a chance at a normal life. His personality, of course, won’t allow this as crime, its pursuit, and the never-ending cat-and-mouse that comes with it is his life. He’s not a greedy man, he’s a life-long thrill seeker who’s discovered the secret to eternal youth – crime.
And he’s not alone. His gang consists of Teddy and Waller (Danny Glover and Tom Waits), two elderly career criminals who seem to suffer the same affliction as he does. But Tucker’s circle isn’t limited to the world of felons and jailbirds. His antics naturally draw the attention of law enforcement, in particular, a detective named John Hunt (Casey Affleck), who makes it his personal mission to take down the gang and its leader. A bond of mutual respect is formed, with Tucker unable to stop himself from provoking Hunt whenever possible. It’s not exactly a dynamic we’ve never seen before, but the chemistry between Redford and Affleck is enjoyable to the point where you want both to succeed – which means one must fail.
One of Redford’s strong suits as an actor, though, is that he’s capable of chemistry with anyone. There’s no reason to go changing things at the last minute so what we’re treated to is a very likable romantic angle with Spacek and fun, introspective scenes with Glover and Waits. Through the scenes with Jewel, Tucker tells the truth in roundabout ways which offer nuggets of insight into his psyche. With Teddy and Waller, their stories reveal the appeal, excitement, and motivation behind the life they lead. Tucker rarely tells the whole truth, but we get to it through his interactions with others. And come on, it’s just cute as hell seeing all these acting veterans hang out with each other. There’s no way this wasn’t going to work.
The story and exposition get slightly clunky at times, and there’s a hurried race to reveal some missing pieces towards the end, but The Old Man & the Gun is still much too likable to disagree with. It’s 1970s setting is perfect as a reminder of when Redford and Spacek were red hot, but not in a nostalgic “please remember me as I was” kind of way. Age is shown naturally and proudly, and everyone seems to be enjoying where their careers have landed them, wrinkles and all. I understand Redford’s decision to retire, but after The Old Man & the Gun, I don’t want to see him go.
