The Old Man & the Gun review – Mr T’s take
Review: Set in the early 1990s, this movie is based on the life of career criminal Forrest Tucker and marks the last acting venture of the legendary Robert Redford. He brings his old-world charm to this familiar tale of a cat and mouse game between himself and a cop who is obsessed with catching him, played by the always brooding Casey Affleck. There’s even a token sub-plot about the federal authorities overstepping their boundaries into local police work.
The perfunctory film grain used is a bit pretentious, but it doesn’t distract due to the period it’s set in. The movie doesn’t have any suspense about it, it just meanders at its own pace, without leading up to a proper climax. Why would you cast actors like Elisabeth Moss, Danny Glover or Sissy Spacek without giving them anything to work with?
Maybe it’s just me, but it would have been a better love letter to Redford’s illustrious career if it had a proper script. I wanted to give this more, but my rating is 2/5.
Who should watch this: If you’re a Redford veteran and have watched all of his other movies, then you’ll probably like it. For others looking to know his work better, I’d suggest better films like The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President’s Men, Spy Game and Three Days of the Condor. Also try and watch 1967’s Bonny and Clyde, a much better-executed film.