crime cinema, but also loves how Redford as a full star AND as a great actor when given the opportunity appears on camera. Additionally, this is the kind of cat-and-mouse "thriller" where we genuinely like the cop as much as the robber Affleck is quite good here , and the ending feels as though it'll be bittersweet until it comes back around to being fully sweet.Lastly, while I know the thing right now is to engulf and/or create art that is fiery and angry and responding to the moment, a film like The Old Man and the Gun is necessary for the reason that you can go and turn off everything else in the world but not, as the saying goes, turn off your mind. Lowery, for me, has finally arrived with the genuine article and his previous films have shown real talent already .Also, I cant wait till I can do a double feature of this with The Hot Rock. Oh, and you get a solid 10-15 minutes of Tom Waits too!

little; the viewer learns his identity from the point of view of the detective who is trying to catch him. All in all -- entertaining, heartwarming and highly recommended..

never met a bank he didn't like. To rob. It's estimated his total take over the years amounted to $4 million.In the words of one character in the film, "For him, robbing banks isn't a way of making a living -- it's his life."In the film, directed by David Lowery from a screenplay he wrote, Robert Redford plays Tucker like a world-class musician stroking a Stradivarius violin, a master who knows exactly how to play a master instrument. The actor, who hints that this may be his last screen performance, packs all of the wares learned and honed in his 60-year career into the complicated tragicomic man that Tucker was.As Tucker, Redford, one of the screen's great minimalists, deals in nuance where lesser actors might have used gaudy broad brushstrokes. He is sad, funny, endearing, maddening, strong, weak, restrained and driven.He falls in love with, and is loved by, Jewel Sissy Spacek , a winsome and trusting woman he stops to help on the freeway when her pickup truck breaks down. No screen female plays deep, inexplicable and true, dedicated love like Spacek, who is perfectly cast as the classy girlfriend who can't explain why she is drawn to a character like this, and doesn't really try.Soon after meeting, Forrest and Jewel have coffee at a greasy spoon cafe, and she asks him what he does for a living. Tucker hesitates, remarking embarrassingly sort of that if she knew, she wouldn't like him. Of course, he's totally wrong: He scribbles his "occupation" on a slip of paper, slides it across the table, she giggles, straightens up -- and realizes it to be true but that it doesn't matter, somehow.Redford's buddies, Teddy and Waller, played with delightful understated comic precision by Danny Glover and Tom Waits respectively, bring to mind what Butch and Sundance's gang might have looked like if transported to modern times -- supportive, sharp and sassy. And completely compelling and believable.One of the best aspects of the film is the bond established between Forrest and the lawman who trails him, Detective John Hunt Casey Affleck .Hunt meets him twice "accidentally," and I won't give away the circumstances here, but both times are at once mythic and touching. Affleck's dedicated, exhausted cop is a man who believes in the law but understands the humanity of the people who break it. He's a devoted family man who genuinely cares about people, but is also determined to nab the bad guys even when he's out on his feet, which is most of the time. Affleck, with a subtle, sweet and understanding drawl, nails it. Tiki Sumpter as his wife, Maureen, is outstanding as the soulmate who both comforts and challenges him.One of the many gems in the film is Elizabeth Moss' turn as Forrest's daughter, who really doesn't know him, but innately understands him. It's sensational casting -- she looks like she could be the daughter of Redford's screen character. Her explanation about Forrest's life to Affleck's detective is stunningly played, building with a quiet anger and an unmistakable love.A strength of this film is the casting of the so-called minor characters involved in Forrest's robberies. They're uniformly terrific, not a clunker in the bunch, which gives the story depth and realism. We're watching people react we feel we know. One bank official, startled at Forrest's audacity, and scared, can't help but tell police how much of a real gentleman Forrest is. Later in the film, a young woman bank teller starts to cry, Forrest becomes alarmed and asks her why, and she manages a giggle while still crying. Try that!Lowery's script avoids cliches and gets at the characters in a sure-handed way that respects both the actors and the audience, giving everybody credit for being able to connect the dots without forcing it.The cinematography is darkly lush and appealing while being true to the spirit of this quirky tale.The real Forrest Tucker not to be confused with the actor of the same name was first imprisoned when he was 15. He died in 2004 at the age of 83. In prison.

surprisingly a true story that I believe everyone will get a kick out of and here's why.Following Forrest Tucker Robert Redford after he has escaped from prison, The Old Man and the Gun is really just about a man who doesn't have many years left in his life and simply wishes to do what makes him happy. Robbing banks in the most polite way that he possibly can, without ever harming anyone, and pretty much always getting away with it, the character of Forrest is absolutely perfect for the way this film portrays him. Whether he's in a high-speed chase to the sound of a calm country song or sitting in a diner with a woman whom he's trying to form a connection with, this is truly one of the most relaxing experiences I think I've ever had at the movies in quite some time.Robert Redford has always been a likable screen presence. Since his early days in movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to even small roles in films like Pete's Dragon today, he has always had the charisma to charm his audience. This may very well be his final performance and if that's really the case, I believe he has gone out on a very high note. I don't believe this film isn't going to win any awards or really be nominated for all that much, but in terms of purely enjoying a character on-screen, The Old Man and the Gun delivers on everything you'd expect, and then some.Yes, as I said, this is a very calm film, so what's a calm experience without the much-needed elements. For a movie like this, you'd expect a slow score and music that will put you at ease, along with some solid comedy in the moments where he may be going a little too far for his particular characteristics. The film provides all of that and more. There were moments where I felt he was about to go out of character, but then the film either came up with a joke to make you feel comfortable about his choices or played a country song that was so on the nose that it makes you laugh. For as slow as this film is, it never once had me checking my watch. This 90-minute film flies by, even with its slow pace.In the end, The Old Man and the Gun is the type of film that's very hard to find a complaint about. It has a specific direction and it sticks with it throughout its entire duration. It's about a wanted gentleman who goes under the radar and robs banks, finds love and is continuously hunted by the police namely a cop played by Casey Affleck, who is also extremely enjoyable in the movie . Look, if you're looking for a complex cops and robbers story, then I would look elsewhere, but if you just want to relax at the movies and have a good time, this is the perfect film for exactly that. The Old Man and the Gun comes highly recommended from me.

as Redford's farewell and by the end you can't help but smile and accept his goodbye.The films slow pace only serves to emphasise who Forrest was and what he wanted life to be. It also allows for some of the films best lines to be delivered with a poignant impact particularly as Redford and Spacek dwell on life on the porch of her house.All in all this is a must see for any fans of Redford and for all fans of low-key but nonetheless entertaining films.

things even paced with some welcome moments of near folksy/folkstory-like humor thanks largely to Waits as Redford's cohort in larceny . Good old-fashioned storytelling and filmmaking at its finest.

promises a lot.While not without its issues, 'The Old Man and the Gun' has a huge amount to recommend and its best assets are pretty wonderful. It very nearly became one of my favourite films of the year, and although it doesn't quite reach that it still is one of 2018's better films from personal opinion and every bit as deserving of the praise it's garnered. That is saying a fair bit as it has been a hit and miss year. And if it really is Redford's last film, he definitely goes out on a high and the film does him justice. Can see that 'The Old Man and the Gun' has not worked for all and that is understandable, it is not hard to see why it hasn't connected with some and any criticisms regarding some of the storytelling and pace are in my opinion valid.Did think that there are draggy stretches and parts where the storytelling borders on the repetitive side. The ending is rather anti-climactic.Also felt that Casey Affleck's role was underwritten, it actually felt like it was intended to be a lead role but truncated, and Affleck is a little too laconic in it at times, though there are enough instances to show that it is actually still plays to his strengths as an actor.However, 'The Old Man and the Gun' is very rewarding elsewhere. Redford piles on the likeability and charm with effortless ease, really terrific work in a performance that dominates in a good way the film, and some of his best in years. The pathos that Sissy Spacek brings to her role is truly moving and while Danny Glover and Tom Waits don't have large roles, somewhat unshowy, they do make strong impressions because their screen presences are pitched perfectly. The character wriitng helps make the characters mostly compelling and they feel like real people, that for Redford's character has remarkable depth and there is a constant sense that Lowery and everybody else had immense respect for Redford without being self-indulgent. Lowery similarly directs impeccably, doing wonders with a story that fits so well with his style. Much of 'The Old Man and the Gun' has a relaxed style but still has momentum to stop it from being aimless.Visually, 'The Old Man and the Gun' is cleverly shot, with use of zooming and whip-pans, old-school style, that is stylish and affectionate rather than cheap. The scenery and production design are handsome and evocative without being too clean. The music is never too intrusive or too low-key, the jazzy nature nicely understated in parts in a very soothing sense while packing a punch in others. The script doesn't ramble or feel padded and has enough tautness and emotion. 'The Old Man and the Gun' boasts some thrilling action pieces enhanced by the photography, the robberies having the right amount of tension and brio, and the nods to past films, basically looking back on Redford's career and filmography, are affectionate rather than gimmicky. But it works even better in the calmer more introspective character moments. These moments are very charming and also very poignant.Overall, a very good film with many excellent elements. 8/10 Bethany Cox

career criminal who stole over four million dollars during his "career" as a gentleman bank robber, he has turned Forrest Tucker into a legend to be spoken of in the same breath as outlaws Jesse James, Doc Holliday, and Billy the Kid.First jailed as a teenager, Tucker, an escape artist as well as a thief, escaped from prison according to his own account, "18 times successfully and 12 times unsuccessfully," a fact that may be fancy, but seems plausible in Redford's confident portrayal. The film begins with an introductory course on Tucker's modus operandi which he repeats in the course of multiple holdups throughout the Midwest. The polite old codger moseys up to a bank teller almost as if he is ready to ask her out on a date. Quietly displaying his gun which he claims he has never used , he softly requests that she hand over all of the bank's money.The teller, originally scared, becomes fodder for Tucker's charms who compliments her on the good job she is doing presumably in efficiently collecting the money for him . Fleeing from the scene, he avoids the chasing police cars by stopping to help Jewel Sissy Spacek, "The Help" a woman about his age whose car has broken down on the side of the road. Though he knows nothing about cars, it is a convenient place where Tucker can hide while the bumbling police cars sail by. Offering Jewel a ride, they hit it off in some of the best scenes of the film. Stopping together at a diner, Tucker learns that Jewel is a widow who lives by herself on a spacious ranch. When asked what he does for a living, he says that he is in sales and gives her a false name.Even though she can see through his deceptions, she is powerless to avoid falling in love with him. When she does find out the truth, she still loves him unconditionally. For Tucker, however, she will always come in second to his first love, relieving banks of their cash on hand. Of course, being a shipping heiress in Miami who became Tucker's third wife, the real Jewel did not care much about the bank's piddly sums. The Old Man and the Gun is also the story of police officer John Hunt Casey Affleck, "Manchester by the Sea" assigned to bring Tucker to justice. Hunt, like Tucker, has a "what's to get excited about?" attitude, but becomes increasingly determined to crack the case once he realizes that Tucker is part of what is referred to as the "Over the Hill Gang," consisting of cohorts Waller Tom Waits, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" and Teddy Danny Glover, "Sorry to Bother You" who form a fearsome group of gentleman robbers.Complete with topical songs and an overbearingly "cool" film score by Daniel Hart "Pete's Dragon" , the film has a seventies look and feel that brings us back to the time when character studies were more in vogue than superheroes. Lowery has said, "I wanted him Redford to be the prototypical American outlaw. I felt that it needed to look as if it was made in a bygone era and that the archetype itself would work better if the movie felt like it was entirely cut from a cloth that was several decades old." In showing the easy social acceptance of Hunt's African-American wife, Maureen Tika Sumpter, "Ride Along 2" , and their two mixed-race children Abilene and Tyler Ari Elizabeth Johnson and Teagan Johnson , however, the film becomes nostalgic for a 1981 Texas that never existed.While The Old Man and the Gun may give some viewers moral pause, it simply continues the Hollywood tradition of glamorizing outlaws in films such as "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," once enemies of the law but today regarded as colorful folk heroes. Of course, at the end they all got their comeuppance, but breaking the law can be fun while it lasts. There are no moral distinctions in the film and critics have referred to Tucker's criminal activities as a "skill," a "hobby," or even an "art form."Sounding like a volunteer at a homeless shelter, one critic states that Tucker is "a man who loved his work." Lowery asserts that he is "always attracted to these characters because of their spirit." For the director, the idea of "getting away with it" has a certain appeal and he compares it to his own life as a filmmaker who feels like "he consistently has to get away with it." For others, however, who do not look at robbing hundreds of people of their money as a fun thing to do, getting away with it is problematic.

to Redford's criminal desires. An always entertaining and tension filled crime-thriller, but one for all audiences, The Old Man & the Gun delivers a poignant end to Redford's acting career.8.8/10