There are plenty of true stories so far-fetched and implausible that there’s no chance they could ever be concocted by a Hollywood screenwriter, but the real trick is managing to do them justice on the big screen. The Old Man and the Gun may have accomplished that feat in some style, but not enough people sat up and took notice.
Written and directed by genre-hopping maestro David Lowery, who can knock it out of the park whether he’s delivering live-action Disney remakes like Pete’s Dragon, mythological medieval epics in The Green Knight, or existential supernatural fables with A Ghost Story, he proved himself a master of many trades yet again, thanks in no small part to a Golden Globe-nominated Robert Redford.
The legendary actor heads up the ensemble as Forrest Tucker, who made a daring escape from San Quentin prison at the ripe old age of 70, before embarking on a string of daring daylight robberies and heists that turned him into something of a folk hero. Of course, the authorities are hot on his tail, but even law enforcement can’t help but be enamored by the veteran thief’s dedication and commitment.
Despite being Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a stellar 93 percent score, The Old Man and the Gun was a major box office disappointment, bringing in less than $18 million on a $16 million budget. That’s definitely not what it deserved given the impeccable craftsmanship and engaging story, but streaming always has a way of righting such egregious wrongs.
Per FlixPatrol, the fantastic crime caper has pulled off one last audacious job to wind up as one of the top-viewed titles on Starz this week, and it’s one that definitely shouldn’t be slept on any longer.
