Based on the true story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford), with a lifelong history of bank heists and prison escapes, The Old Man and the Gun showcases his need for the thrill of robberies, chases and escapes to live life to the fullest. His partners in crime are Teddy (Danny Glover) and Waller (Tom Waits), dubbed the “over-the-hill-gang.” You have to smile when they say “Get AARP on the case.” It becomes John Hunt’s (Casey Affleck) mission to catch him, but when they finally encounter each other, Hunt lets him get away.
His love interest, Jewel (Sissy Spacek), loves him for who he is, despite his profession. Tucker makes no apologies for who he is and what he does. He revels in the thrill of the chase. When Tucker hands Jewel a list of all his escapes, detailing the first 16, the last one is left blank for his grand finale.
This crime comedy film script is based on the New Yorker profile of Tucker. The movie recreates the ambiance of the early 1980s and showcases the low-tech world of payphones and microfilm. The real-life Tucker spent most of his life behind bars, even with his proclivity for legendary prison escapes. His last escape was at age 70, from San Quentin, in a homemade boat, with the words Rub-a-Dub-dub on the side.
The movie is slow paced, especially considering it is a bank robber film. Tucker is the most polite, well-dressed, gun carrying bank robber you’ve ever seen. When bank tellers are asked to describe him after the robbery, the words polite, charming and smiling are echoed sentiments.
If you are a Robert Redford fan, you will find he is still charming at age 82 with his craggy face and boyish smile. He has said this will be his last role, but let’s hope that this is not the case. He can still make an audience fall in love with him all over again, whether a grifter in The Sting, an outlaw in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a baseball player in The Natural, or in any of his other legendary roles.
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Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Director: David Lowery
Written By: David Lowery
Actors: Robert Redford, Sissy Spacek, Casey Affleck, Danny Glover, Tika Sumpter
Running Time: 93 minutes
Rating: PG-13 (for brief strong language)
