Reviews of the Old Man and the Gun
David Lowery'southward "The Old Homo & the Gun" is as deceptive equally its protagonist. It tells the story of a homo so likable and gentlemanly that tellers and banking concern managers practically handed him their money as he went almost i of the well-nigh infamous robbery sprees in American history. Simply withal suave the movie itself may be, information technology's another accomplished piece of work from a filmmaker who is now four for iv, and continues to surprise with the range of his interests and output. And information technology's a love letter to a cinematic legend, serving as a perfect terminal film for someone who long ago surpassed mere actor status to become an icon.
Of class, that legend is Robert Redford, who has stated that "The Old Man & the Gun" is his final film. Flashing his smiling and allowing his optics to twinkle in ways he hasn't in years, Redford leans into this role as a natural extension of some of his most beloved characters. When he says he'south never ridden a equus caballus earlier, the line plays similar a joke considering we tin all picture the Sundance Child atop his steed.
Here, he plays Forrest Tucker, a lifelong criminal who has been incarcerated 18 times, starting equally early on as 15, and escaped from nigh of the prisons that tried to hold him (there'due south a montage of the escapes that'south an absolute delight and even uses some classic Redford film footage). Nosotros run across him near the cease of his criminal career, equally he's settled into a groove as what could be called a gentleman bank robber. With two buddies who will be known equally the Over the Hill Gang (Danny Glover & Tom Waits), Forrest robs banks with a casual opening of his jacket to reveal a gun and kind words for his victims. He tells ane teller who starts to cry that she'due south doing a corking job. He's encouraging, and it's essential that he relies on his charm as much every bit firepower. Lowery never even shows us the gun when Forrest opens his jacket, staying on a face up-and-shoulders shot. Those blue eyes and that smiling are the real weapons.
The last days of the Over the Colina Gang are framed past 2 supporting characters. First, at that place'south Jewel (Sissy Spacek), who Forrest meets equally her car has broken down on the side of the road—looking in her trunk serves as proficient cover as the cops chasing Tucker speed by. Forrest takes a liking to Jewel, fifty-fifty telling her what he does, just she doesn't believe him. The two frequently sit in a diner or on Jewel'due south large property and the result is cinematic magic. There's something in these scenes between Redford and Spacek that's impossible to recreate with any other actors, and Lowery knows information technology. He leans into the magic of the moment, realizing that he's at that place to really capture something timeless and at least somewhat across his control. I could watch the ii of them simply laugh and talk for hours—they make something almost intangible look so effortless.
Second, there'south John Hunt (Casey Affleck), who becomes the atomic number 82 cop in trying to capture Forrest. He'due south the first one to figure there'south fifty-fifty a crime spree taking place. The Over the Loma Gang robs banks in dissimilar states and it's unremarkably pocket-size takes. Hunt tracks them down and becomes the Pacino character to Redford's De Niro one in the "Old 'Heat'" illustration. Affleck is great too, almost impressed past Forrest'due south chutzpah as Hunt has just crossed the big iv-0 himself and he too is fascinated by someone who doesn't just desire to "make a living," he wants to really live. Tucker doesn't do it for the money. He does it because he'southward restless and skilful at information technology.
Lowery and his team, especially cinematographer Joe Anderson and composer Daniel Hart, requite "The Former Homo & the Gun" a very period-heavy feel. It'due south a film that doesn't simply take identify in a dissimilar era—the true story unfolds, generally, in 1981—merely feels like information technology was fabricated in a different era besides. The movie stock, the music choices, the cinematic language—it's all very unlike from what we're accustomed to in 2018, enhancing the magical, timeless aspect of the entire projection. It's every bit cheesy every bit information technology sounds but this is one of those movies for which the phrase "they don't make 'em like that any more" was invented.
Later on all, this is a story virtually a legend in his own mind, someone who conspicuously wanted his life to be told in stories on porches with beers in hands, and then its teller should cover that aesthetic. So Lowery enhances the charming outlaw attitude of it all, resulting in a motion-picture show that'due south so calorie-free on its feet that some people will call back it only floats away. At first, information technology might. But, make no fault, you lot'll think well-nigh this film. Information technology'll be a line of dialogue, or an image of Redford'southward charm or Spacek's laugh or Affleck's mental attitude—it's just i of those movies that keeps sneaking upwardly on yous in memory. Like Forrest himself, it refuses to become away. And like Redford himself, it's unforgettable.
This review was originally filed from the Toronto International Film Festival on September x, 2018.
Brian Tallerico
Brian Tallerico is the Editor of RogerEbert.com, and too covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is likewise a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and Rolling Rock, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.
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The Quondam Human being and the Gun (2018)
93 minutes
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