When you’re truly passionate about something—when you truly love what you do—there’s just no way that you can give it up. That’s clearly true for 82-year-old Robert Redford, just as it’s true for the character he plays in his latest film, The Old Man & the Gun.
The Old Man & the Gun tells the mostly-true story of Forrest Tucker (Redford), a 74-year-old bank robber who—along with two of his friends—has been pulling off a series of small haul bank robberies around the country for the last couple of years. But when world weary detective John Hunt (Casey Affleck) happens to be standing in line at a bank during one of Forrest’s robberies, he begins tracking the robberies and the elderly bank robbers, determined to be the one to bring them in.
With its mix of action and heists and even a touch of romance between Forrest and Sissy Spacek’s Jewel, The Old Man & the Gun is a fun-filled and altogether lovable real-life crime caper. This unbelievable (mostly) true story is truly fascinating, and the writing is clever and comical, too.
This isn’t just another wacky old-guy comedy, with a bunch of wild and crazy old men getting laughs for trying to do the things that they’re clearly too old to do. Redford’s Forrest isn’t trying to seduce young women while partying in Vegas. He’s just doing what he loves to do—and what he clearly knows how to do well. There’s nothing especially madcap or over-the-top about his actions. And though he may carry a gun while robbing banks, he doesn’t seem the slightest bit menacing. He’s just sly and mischievous—like your favorite great uncle, who’s always cracking jokes while winking at the kids—but he just happens to rob banks, too.
In fact, he seems much more spirited and full of life than the worn-out younger cop who’s determined to stop his crime spree. Affleck is as moody as ever as Hunt—but while he sometimes sucks the energy out of a scene, that just seems to emphasize the joy and youthfulness of his elderly rival.
More than just another over-the-top comedy about clueless old guys, The Old Man & the Gun is surprisingly sweet and easy—yet entertaining, too. Redford clearly loves what he does—and, just like his character, he may be older than the average person in his profession, but he’s still just plain good at what he does.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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