THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN: A Worthy Swan Song For Robert Redford

If there’s one word to describe The Old Man and the Gun, that word would easily be: nostalgic. Nostalgic for a past generation, for a simpler way of living, for an older aesthetic style of filmmaking, and in Robert Redford‘s case, for his career itself. Focusing on a bankrobber in his twilight years, the film devotedly hearkens back to a legacy of antiheroes that Redford has become synonymous with. Most of all, though, it just works. Its pleasant, breezy narrative is refreshing during a time when loud or theatrical movies seem to be all the rage. It just might make you smile.

The Bankrobber Past his Prime

Based partly on a true story, The Old Man and the Gun focuses on Forrest Tucker (Redford), an aging, well-mannered gentleman who, in his free time, just happens to enjoy robbing banks, often accompanied by his two equally old compatriots, played by Danny Glover and Tom Waits. He stops to help a lady on the side of the road named Jewel (Sissy Spacek) while on one escape route, and the two start to fall for each other despite Jewel’s knowledge of Tucker’s unfortunate favorite pastime.

Pursuing Tucker is detective John Hunt (Casey Affleck), who becomes obsessed with tracking him down after slowly uncovering a series of bank robberies across the country, soon calling Tucker and his companions the “Over the Hill Gang.” A cat and mouse game ensues, with Tucker’s bank robbing skills always keeping him one step ahead of the authorities.

“I’m Just Talking About Living”

What distinguishes the character of Forrest Tucker even further from most outlaws is that, as the character aged, he didn’t lose his old southern charm. But as we know, he didn’t lose his love for robbing banks either. As a result, Tucker approaches robbing a bank in such an unassuming manner that the bank employees are completely taken aback by him, as if not entirely believing that this polite gentlemen is about to rob them. Such moments make for some rather adoring exchanges, showing the ease with which director David Lowery is able to find humor in the unexpected.

Forrest Tucker is also an accomplished prison escape artist, who supposedly managed to escape 16 times from prison over the years, which is shown in a delightful montage. Much like classic characters, such as Paul Newman‘s Cool Hand Luke or Steve McQueen‘s Papillon, this is not a man who will simply lay back and let you take his freedom. Yet, we know how drawn he is to a life of crime all the same.

Tucker’s relationship with Jewel, wonderfully played by Sissy Spacek, is one of the film’s strongest aspects. The two share a mutual love for warm conversations in the open country air. But even she can’t hold back his insatiable desire to continue robbing banks. Some of the film’s highlights come during these moments, just witnessing two legendary actors engage in a simple dialogue with one another.

Older Aesthetics

Lowery, whose past three films couldn’t be any different from one another – jumping from the Disney fairy tale Pete’s Dragon, to the haunting, surreal A Ghost Tale, and now The Old Man and the Gun – is seemingly able to shift his style with ease. The Old Man and the Gun is aesthetically more like a film that you would find during the time when it was set, the late 1970s/early 1980s. The film is a little more grainy, the color palette muted, and the score by Daniel Hart uses pleasant country guitar strumming throughout. The soundtrack is filled with American classics, such as possibly the best cinematic use of Jackson C. Frank’s “Blues Run the Game.” If you didn’t know any better, you might think you’re watching a classic Hal Ashby film.

All in all, Lowery‘s choices throughout The Old Man and the Gun lend themselves nicely to the story at hand, since it is about a career criminal who doesn’t realize that he might be past his prime. It’s nostalgic for the time it’s set in, but only as much as it needs to be, as opposed to overtly displaying its influences as some recent ’80s-set films or TV shows tend to do. Instead, it’s a quiet elegy for a waning generation, both for the time it is set and for the previous generation that Forrest Tucker came from.

Slight Missteps

For a short film, The Old Man and the Gun is a thankfully breezy watch. It flows nicely throughout, with the potential exception of Casey Affleck‘s subplot. Affleck‘s character’s side story, in which he lives with his wife Maureen (Tika Sumpter) and kids while also on the tail of the Over the Hill Gang, is not nearly as developed or engaging as that of Forrest Tucker. Of course, there had to be someone hunting down the man who is breaking the law, but here it often feels superfluous to the stoy at large as opposed to weaving synonymously with it. It’s but a slight detail, but one that keeps The Old Man and the Gun from being a full triumph of a film.

A Tribute to a Legend

As recently announced by Redford before the film’s release, The Old Man and the Gun is his final film role. And what a worthy role for such an incredible career. Though Redford has played his share of heroic leading men, such as in The Natural or All the President’s Men, it is perhaps his antiheroes in films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting for which he is most celebrated.

In a way, his character in The Old Man and the Gun feels much like one of these outlaws, just as he would be 50 years down the line, as if the Sundance Kid survived and kept robbing banks into his old age. It’s an admirably meta-tribute to one of cinema’s most likable faces. Though, personally, I hope this isn’t the last that we see of Redford, either in a supporting role or as a director or producer on subsequent projects.

The Old Man and the Gun: Conclusion

The Old Man and the Gun is a love letter to many things: the 1970s/early ’80s, the aging outlaw trope so often seen in Westerns, and to film itself, with David Lowery‘s love and homage for previous filmmakers shining through. But, above all, it’s a tribute to Robert Redford. To over 50 years of making quality independent films, and for devotedly earning his place amongst the greats. We’ll miss you.

What are your thoughts on The Old Man and the Gun? What are some of your favorite Robert Redford roles? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

The Old Man and the Gun was released in the US on September 28, 2018 and there UK on December 7, 2018. For all international release dates, see here.