David Lowery’s The Old Man & the Gun (2018) opens with a bank
robbery, just after the title card mentions the following story to be ‘mostly
true’. But guns aren’t shoved into faces, voices weren’t raised, staffs and
other people don’t lie on the ground, impaired by mortal fear. The film is set in early 1980s
(shot on 16mm, the grainy faded look gives the genuine 1980s American cinema
feel) and what we see is an old gentleman calmly collecting some money from an
even-tempered young bank teller. In fact, the robbery is clearly confirmed only
by the police radio, which the elderly bank robber is listening to through what
outwardly looks like a ‘hearing-aid’. Some sort of police chase ensues, but
this one isn’t similar to the tense opening segments in Refn’s ‘Driver’ or Edgar
Wright’s ‘Baby Driver’. The old guy just stops to help an old woman having
trouble with her pick-up truck. Out of courtesy, hidden under the intention to
evade the police, the bank-robbing gentleman Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford)
gives lift to the independent-minded widow Jewel (Sissy Spacek) dropping her at a sprawling
ranch, outside Dallas, Texas. In the narrative course, Forrest courts Jewel and
a tentative bond is forged between them. And, yes the old guy keeps on robbing
banks for fun, just flashing his Colt .45 but without ever indulging in
violence (as one bank manager tells the police, “He was such a gentleman”).
Director Lowery’s third feature and first acclaimed drama
‘Ain’t Them Bodies Saints’ (2013) seemed like a chase-thriller, but ended up
being a wistful, Malick-ian romance between a outlaw couple. His next film was
a strong and cherished family entertainment Pete’s Dragon (2016). Lowery
followed this up with an unbelievably great art-house feature A Ghost Story
(2017). Casey Affleck, fresh from his Oscar-winning turn from Manchester by the
Sea, played a white-sheeted ghost haunted by love and loss.
Now Lowery takes a true story of a bank robber and shoe-horns it to be a
fitting swan song to Robert Redford, while also indulging his nostalgia for the
70s celluloid warmth. The Old Man & the Gun is largely a soulful and
cinematic homage to Robert Redford the star as Lowery administers his
artistic tools to add an extra shine to the actor’s charm. Hence, the film
could easily be an underwhelming experience for those who don’t dig into the
sweetness of Redford tribute (there’s plethora of nods to the octogenarian
actor’s
cinematic past, which includes films like The Chase, Butch Cassidy and Sundance
Kid, and The Sting).
Written by David Lowery, The Old Man & the Gun is based on David
Grann’s (Lost City of Z, Killers of the Flower Moon) New Yorker article about
Forrest Tucker, a ‘charming’ career-criminal and escape artist, whose ‘Over-The-Hill
Gang’ (comprised of two other older prison pals; played by Danny Glover and Tom Waits in the film) only in 1980 robbed as many as 60 banks. Tucker has escaped from
prison at least 18 times and went on to commit his final robbery at the age of
79 in 1999 (he passed away in prison five years later). Convinced that his name
should be in the ‘hall of fame’ of outlaws and robbers, Tucker himself wrote
manuscripts, hoping that Hollywood would one day turn it into a movie. Lowery’s
story is simply a playful take on Tucker’s criminal life without ever
attempting to carefully approximate the gentleman robber’s life and quirks
through Redford’s performance. In fact, writer/director Lowery extracts events
from Tucker’s life so as to create a meta-textual layer that neatly reflects
Robert Redford’s fifty-years-plus acting career. Not to mistake Lowery’s vision
as a post-modernist take on a self-possessed robber, but it’s simply a sincere
and old-fashioned portrait of the artist as a veteran robber.
Lowery is comfortable with focusing on the subtle dramatics
of the situation rather than frame it as a conventional ‘heist flick’ (one of
the ‘Over-The-Hill’ gang’s biggest job happens off-screen). There’s absolutely no thrill
in the robbery sequence. What interests Lowery is Tucker’s need to feel the thrill
of being alive. This is marked by his sweet yet non-committal relationship with
Jewel. The scenes between the iconic Redford and Spacek are clearly a lesson in
on-screen chemistry as the pair exude affection and pathos that couldn’t be
found in the entirety of modern rom-coms. Tucker also develops a sort of odd
bond with his pursuer, a Dallas Detective named John Hunt (Casey Affleck). Hunt
remains an unambitious cop but he suddenly becomes preoccupied with the
mysterious, elusive robber. He is also partly captivated by Tucker’s singular
talent and professionalism. Hunt’s warm family life (a beloved wife and two
smart daughters) remains a clear contrast to Tucker who has an estranged
daughter (Elisabeth Moss in a cameo) and has left a trail of agony and
heartbreak. If Hunt’s eyes twinkles after bathing in his wife’s warm hug, for
Tucker infectious smile naturally adorns his face once the stick-up is under
way. Nevertheless, Lowery doesn’t make a clear-cut commentary on these
characters’ masculinity, while highlighting Tucker’s preoccupations and
nostalgic fancies as one-of-a-kind element which is not treated with pensive
sadness but fondness.
At times, Lowery’s rigorous focus on the movie star, his
brand of mischief and charisma, make the narrative course seem too lean and too
relaxed. It’s also too muted for a character study as Forrest Tucker is mostly remains
a symbolic figure and questions regarding his life and mindset are often
dodged. A heightened atmosphere of
farewell illuminates the storytelling throughout (Lowery even conjures a
setting to frame the star on the horse, echoing Redford’s status as old-school
acting legend) and the director considers it satisfactory enough to leave it at
that. The blunt psychologization, exploration of social or cultural milieus is just
deemed extraneous. The real Forrest Tucker saw the gun he used in bank-robbery
merely as an ‘essential’ prop. In The Old Man & the Gun (93 minutes), David
Lowery uses Tucker’s life as a prop to devise a tribute to the 82-year old
Robert Redford’s stardom (and may be like Forrest Tucker Mr. Redford wouldn’t
call it quits?). It’s an easygoing, feel-good entertainment but wouldn’t be an
unforgettable feature.
Trailer
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