Lionsgate, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Lakeshore Entertainment,
Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin, Julianna Margulies, Mark Margolis, Lucy Punch, Addison Timlin, Vanessa Ferlito, Katheryn Winnick, Bill Burr
Valentine (Al Pacino) has been released from prison, and old time pal Doc (Christopher Walken) is there to pick him, take him home, and let him stay with him. These guys are old, but had lots of adventures back in the day, and their lock picking and gun slinging skills are still fresh. They break into the nursing home to bust out their 3rd partner, Hirsch (Alan Arkin) and the gang is back together. They’re not looking for trouble, but trouble just seems to jump out of the shadows and kick them in the butt.
I have to say, I really enjoyed this film. Pacino and Walken carry most of it, but the little bit Arkin is in is really great too. These guys are funny, and especially Val (Pacino) who is out of control, completely. There’s a lot more going on than just a old geezer gangster pic, but at the surface that’s what it really is. Doc has a couple big conflicts going on with someone who needs to know the truth, and with a very unpleasant task that he has to do no matter how much he hates it. Val is a real friend, and like a huge kid who’s always in trouble, he’s got a good heart, and he really wants to help Doc through his problems. There are some other good roles and good actors. There’s many layers to this film, and I was really surprised at the depth of the story. Kudos to the screenwriters as well, as the script is certainly beefy enough for these guys to chew on. I was disappointed in some of the more recent Pacino films, and this one was something he could certainly bring his A game into and it was a very good outing for him. Basically, I really enjoyed watching this film, and if you’re interested for some senior citizen comedy and action, you’re sure to enjoy this too, I think.
EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog
Movie Review - Stand Up Guys (2012) {R},
