This is a quiet little film out in theaters last week, but not really getting any attention. However, if you look at the names in the cast: Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin. This is one powerhouse list of Oscar-winning actors! I simply had to see what this unheralded film was all about.
Val (Pacino) just got released from prison after a 25-year sentence. Doc (Walken), his best friend, picks him up. It turned out Doc had been told by their mob boss to kill Val, but he could not do it. On the contrary, Doc and Val spend one wild night on various odd spontaneous adventures and misadventures, which included visits to a brothel, stealing Viagra and cars, helping a rape victim get her vengeance, meeting and burying an old friend. But in the end, they still had one last big hit they had to do.
Overall, this is just OK. This is old-fashioned film making with old school stars. It may be hard for the new generation to sit through as Pacino and company ham it up tongue-in-cheek. The pace is slow and the story-telling took its time.
The comedy is low key, and yes, it can be corny. For me, it only picked up from the point where they met Hirsch (Alan Arkin) sometime halfway through the film, and from there, it got more interesting (a little at least) up to the end. You only watch it for the sake of seeing these senior actors show us what chops they still got in them. Like its tagline says, they sure don't make them like they used to. 4/10
Very nice article, exactly what I needed.
ReplyDeleteMy web blog; I loved this