Geriatric bank robbers run amuck!
BQB here with a review of the old fogie heist comedy, Going in Style.
You know 3.5 readers, I went into this movie thinking I would hate it. First, I’ve seen this plot before. Old actors get together to do a tour de farce. I saw it with Clint Eastwood and James Garner in Space Cowboys. I saw it with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in Bucket List.
Second, I go to movies to be entertained and the idea that all these old geezers are “going” as in they don’t have much time left just seemed sad.
I was pleasantly surprised. It’s tight and witty, all the things you want in a good comedy.
Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Alan Arkin are three elderly retirees who are fed up with being screwed over. When their pensions are liquidated, it’s the last straw. Old, broke, and not seeing much of a future left, they hatch a scheme to rob the bank that did them wrong.
Yes, there are lots of old fart jokes. That is to be expected but hey, it’s all fun just the same.
What surprises me is that this is a cast of octogenarians (eighty something year olds) who are running around doing zany things throughout the film. Sure, they do it all slowly, but still. I hope I make it to eighty and I hope I have as much style as these three gents when I do.
Ann-Margaret plays Alan Arkin’s love interest and at 76, she’s still bone-able. The years have been kind to her and if she’s had any work done, it doesn’t show. Her face is pretty and I don’t know how she does it, but she’s not doing it with one of those Joan Rivers style “my face is pulled so far back I look like an alien” facelifts. I would totally bring Ann-Margret a bottle of prune juice and hit that all night if she would ever find herself so inclined to do me the honor. Sadly, she probably won’t. (Call me Ann-Margret. I want to eat all of the stale, wrapped candies at the bottom of your old lady purse.)
I feel like Ann-Margaret has been playing the hot old lady love interest for years now. I remember her playing the hot old babe that Walter Matthhau and and Jack Lemon went to war over in 1993’s Grumpy Old Men.
Quick observation – Ann-Margaret was only in her fifties when those two grumpy old men fought over her and she’s in her seventies while these men are in there eighties. In other words, no matter how old the leading men are in a movie, the actress still has to be younger. Hollywood rules.
Appearances made by Kenan Thompson of SNL, Matt Dillon. and yes, Christopher Lloyd.
STATUS: Shelf-worthy. Probably not worth a trip to the theater, but you should see it. It’s a pretty solid comedy. There are sad moments that capture the human condition, i.e., everyone has to die someday and no one wants to, even eighty-year olds who have had as much time as anyone can expect. However, there’s enough comedy and good vibes to overcome the sad parts of the film.
Bookshelf Battle 