'JUST GETTING STARTED': Two and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
An action-comedy buddy flick from writer/director Ron Shelton, who's previously helmed such popular sports-comedies as 'BULL DURHAM','WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP' & 'TIN CUP' (as well as the action-comedy buddy flick 'HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE'). The film stars Morgan Freeman and Tommy Lee Jones as an ex-mob lawyer, and an ex-FBI agent, that have to overcome their personal feud in order to survive a mafia hit at their retirement home. The movie also costars Rene Russo, Joe Pantoliano, George Wallace, Jane Seymour and the late Glenne Headly (in one of her final film performances). It's received mostly negative reviews from critics, and it's also underperformed at the Box Office so far as well. I found it to be very mildly amusing, at times, but it's also mostly just a waste of time.
Duke Diver (Freeman) is the most popular resident at villa Capri, a retirement home which he also helps run. That is until a new guest, named Leo (Jones), shows up. Leo rivals Duke at everything he's known for there, and the two engage in a bitter rivalry (even over women). That is until a mob hitman attempts to kill Diver, and the two must then put aside their dispute in order to survive.
I'll admit Freeman and Jones are both entertaining to watch, but that's only because they're such good actors. The duo is so much better than the material they're given here, and Ron Shelton has delivered much better material than this in the past. Maybe it's because they're all getting so old, but I know that Jones and Freeman can still do much better than this. They just need to learn to skip bad film roles.
