Braquage à l'ancienne

So here's the thing: if you told me, out of the blue, with no context whatsoever, that there was a heist flick with Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Alan Arkin and Ann-Margaret (or you could have me at just Caine) where they plot to rob the Brooklyn bank that's screwed them over after a royal f***-over from their blue collar job, I'd say 'sign me up!' That it would also be a comedy wouldn't be so bad an enticement either; one might be reminded of something that could've starred these same actors from the 70's (ever seen The Hot Rock?) and spiked with some relevant social issues. Matter of fact, as I only recently learned, this is a *remake* of a movie from the 70's (whether it had the same horrible-bank horrible-company thing I'm sure I don't know).

The problem is it's now 2017 and their age can't be taken out of the text of the film - this is the Grumpy Old Men or even The Bucket List of NYC heist movies - and the director Zach Braff is a hack. Sorry, but... no, I'm not sorry to type that. While I haven't Wish I Was Here, Garden State is not simply in retrospect but what I knew at the time to be an unconvincing and cloying indie that had some decent acting and (not mutually exclusive) some highly self-conscious directorial moves and writing that... well, it didn't date well then much less now.

I don't mean to beat up on Braff's film - good for him for making a movie, it wasn't a crime or anything - except to point to how in his third film out he has moved up to now making an unconvincing and typical and safe middle-brow comedy. It's not that the trailer even showed anything like an edge, but... damn, he could've tried, not to mention some twists and reveals near the end that made me groan so loud I got looks from some of the AARP folks in the theater. Oh, and the social issues are dealt kind of up front and we only sort of see the consequences/ramifications of what this does to people (it's closer to the depth of something like Tower Heist in that way).

And yet I have an admiration for this movie getting to see these faces and, at the least, Braff doesn't get too much in the way of Caine and Freeman and Arkin to do what they can with Melfi's also safe script. They work well together and I found myself laughing more than I expected from if not all of the dialog (though there's one or two clever moments from Melfi) then from how they deliver it. There's lifetimes of experience and knowledge and depths of pathos from these actors, even with Arkin who always seems to be Cranky-Ass Arkin (but this is likely an act, so to simply be this personality so convincingly is impressive), and they play off with as much comedy as they can get from the supporting cast like Christopher Lloyd as a dementia-ish Knights of Columbus fellow and Ann Margaret as Arkin's would-be love interest.

The heist itself is shown in broad strokes and we can buy it because, um, movie. I was fine with most of it, up until it strains credulity though this is largely when the alibis have to come out and all of the loose ends come together (and even here I could believe it, at least in the predictable-safe world its set in). Maybe my critical standards are getting rusty and I should harsher on this, not the least because it features a set-up involving a botched preparatory theft of... ingredients for Chicken Cordon-Bleu from a small super-market that is paid off in a way that makes less sense than it should. I wanted it to do a little more, but what it gave me was fine - I may just be a sucker for this cast and that, for what morsels they're given, they do as much and then some with it. It's an excellent Laundromat Movie: if it came on while I was doing/waiting for my laundry, I'd be highly satisfied.

In a theater.... ehhh... Extra points too for Matt Dillon as a non-plussed cop and a humorous Keenan Thompson as the security hack at the super-market.

The age of comedy has certainly changed over the years, transitioning from the classic slapstick to a simpler, straightforward approach that today's youth loves. Yet, every once in a while, the legends from the past return in an attempt to bring some whit back to the silver screen. Tonight, my friend and I head back into the trenches of the local theater to give some insight into Going in Style starring the legendary trio of Morgan Freeman, Alan Arkin, and Michael Caine. Let's get started!

LIKES: • Classic comedy • Good chemistry between actors • Cute • Nicely tied together story

Summary: If the intro didn't spoil it for you, Going in Style is true to its name, as the trio brings the classic comedy back into style. Fans of the slapstick of yore are going to bust a gut at this film as the timeless styles of the leads continue to shine bright. Caine and Freeman have comedic timing and delivery down, with clever lines craftily intertwined in the serious dialogue that put today's writing to shame. Arkin on the other hand is all about the banter and complaining, which for the most part is balanced and well-placed. The trio have great chemistry together, and sell that they are best friends who have faced the challenge called life. They sell the struggles and praise the joys, and do it with such class and minimizing the stupid, mindless banter famous today. And in addition to being funny, the lack of crude comedy also makes this movie cute. Watching older men trying to rob a bank, while also getting their lives in order makes for an adorable adventure as my friend commented. Of course, this reviewer likes a story to his comedy, and Going in Style gets this right too. It's a hardy story for most ages, and one that won't have the older audience members shaking their heads in shame. This may also surprise you, but there were a couple of twists that fooled me, which isn't easy in the comedy genre.

DISLIKES: • Predictable • Depressing at times • Old jokes get a bit stale

Summary: With a simple story as this, it's not surprising that much of the story is predictable. Given the theme of the movie, you should be able to predict most of the ending, and certainly can guess where things are going to go wrong. Therefore, the uniqueness of this movie takes a hit in the story department. And no surprise, the comedy is also predictable and therefore loses the comedy edge they wanted to deliver…at least to me. While the trailers do promote the more fun atmosphere of the movie, don't let it fool you that it is all happiness and rainbows (that's the Smurfs!). Going in style emphasizes the end of life generation, highlighting the less than glorious problems of getting older. There are parts that brought me down as they emphasized the sadder qualities of life. Thank goodness for the consistent comedy, because otherwise this could have been a much harder movie to watch. Of all the comedy this movie has in its folds, they certainly stuck with the old theme of this movie. Positives, there are plenty of quips and class to the punches they throw. Bad news, the quips get older than the actors delivering them. How many insults about difficulties getting up can you make, or metaphors for being poor and not having a check. It's good political awareness (nice work there writers), but it would have been nice for a little more variety to work its way into the vaudeville.

The VERDICT:

Going in Style is one of the classier, wittier comedies to end up in the theater this year. Both this reviewer and his friend, enjoyed the trade of simplistic one-liners and innuendos for a less aggressive comedy style that shows the traditional style has not been lost quite yet. Despite the trade up though, the movie is still very predictable and simplistic enough to still be stuck in the mediocre territory. As much fun as I had in the movie, there isn't much to warrant it for a movie theater visit, unless you are a fan of the traditional comedy and looking for a fun group/date movie.

My scores are:

Comedy/Crime: 7.5 Movie Overall: 6.0

"Going in Style (2017) is a professionally produced crime comedy about three lifelong friends who have fallen on hard times through the loss of their pension. Their plan to fix their financial woes comes in the form of a bank robber of their own personal bank that happens to control their pension. This is the second time I have watched this film and I love it every time. It is a reminder that there are good friends in the world that will go through the business with you. It also helps that some of my favorite actors are in the film. This is an overall great film and very sound technically.

For a comedy, the cinematography was surprising at how gripping it was in just the opening scene. The angles of the camera provided a glorious look into the bank that was far from boring. Director Zach Braff must have had the easiest job working with actors Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Alan Arkin, which allowed him to be so creative in his shot selection and editing choices because the acting was so great. I believe the story is very strong, only because it is a comedy. I don't think it would be feasible to make a realistic heist movie with limited mobility elderly. Overall, I think this film is great and would recommend it to all that want to know what real friendship looks like.

This is another one of those films that I've been meaning to watch and I've only just got round to it and I have to say, I wish I had watched it sooner. It's a lovely little film with some good laughs and great characters played by some acting greats. While this film will never go down as one of the greats of Hollywood, it is none the less a good old fashioned comedy with a good story line. Some of the critics are trying to poke holes in it, and to be fair there are a few little hiccups and goofs, but it's a comedy, it's not supposed to be that accurate. Watch it for what it is, A good old school comedy, and you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Going in Style isn't one of those typical "let's make fun of old people" films. Yes, it has a few gags about old age, but the majority of the film is just about three men, who happen to have white hair. Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Alan Arkin are three friends barely making ends meet. Morgan can't afford to visit his family, Michael's in danger of losing his home, and Alan clips coupons along with many other retirees whose Social Security doesn't cover all expenses. After Michael is present during a bank robbery, he comes up with the idea of robbing a bank himself, with a little help from his friends.

Michael and Morgan are given the most acting to do, since Alan is mainly the comic relief, and they are wonderful. They could have easily written the film off as a silly comedy and thrown their lines away, but both of them put their whole hearts behind their performances. Joining the supporting cast is Ann-Margaret, who inexplicably has a crush on Alan Arkin instead of the dreamy Michael Caine. She's basically the same as she was in Grumpy Old Men, but it's nice to see her still in circulation. Matt Dillon, who hasn't aged a day since Crash, Josh Pais, Christopher Lloyd, and Richie Moriarty also have small but memorable parts.

These days, it's extremely expensive to go to the theaters, and we often find ourselves saying, "Eh, I'll just rent it." I went to the theaters to see Going in Style, and it was worth every cent. This movie is hilarious, heartwarming, and extremely entertaining. If you just want to laugh at old people, go rent Dirty Grandpa or Last Vegas. But if you're looking for three Academy Award winning actors in a very sweet story, better acting than you'd expect in a comedy, and a film that respects older actors, this is one of the best.