Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Alan Arkin have been numerous movies in numerous genres from the past decades and they are legends that can make a movie more interesting and exciting. Now, combining the professionalism and entertainment from all three actors elevates my interest because I am such a big fan of these three actors and is almost a throwback to their early 70s or 80s work. This is 2017 and we do not get as many heist movies as we did back in the day. But, what I do appreciate as to how they handle the source material and develop the characters' problems into a sensible movie. Now, did I enjoy it? Yeah, about most of it. But, would I recommend it? I'd say wait for it to be on digital, blu-ray or DVD to rent to basically enjoy.
Joe, Willie and Al (Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Alan Arkin) are long-time friends and are the stage of their life that they should either be on the verge of retirement with great benefits or retiring with great benefits, enjoying one's company. However, things run amuck as the company they have worked for is bought out meaning that their pensions are seized to the company's restructuring phase.
All three have dire situations that resort to family needs or need help from family to increase their longevity. Because they are desperate, Joe decides that they should rob a bank. Willie and Al are initially apprehensive about his idea, thinking they do not want to have a flaw on their record or they do not want to die in prison. However, they are going to do it retribution, but they need some "rehearsals" as to how they need to execute on their plan.
If you have seen the vastly superior Hell or High Water, which was one of the best movies of 2016, this is exactly the same story. The difference is that they are three older people in another modern town and they talk about their plans and other miscellaneous topics in a diner, even with a sassy waitress at the helm. But, I do like that the movie takes its time to fully develop the characters and their situations that set up the robbery. Some of their situations are quite dark and compelling that it felt a bit gritty at times. Now, it is played like a comedy because they do not have quite the experience and there are some laughs but they do not become quite memorable, except for the supermarket scene.
We know what Caine, Freeman and Arkin are capable of doing and they still keep doing it very well given their great performances, each of them having at least won one Oscar. But, there is a solid supporting cast that should have gotten more screen time such as Christopher Lloyd as their lodge buddy, Ann-Margret as Albert's love interest, Matt Dillon as an FBI agent, Joey King as Caine's granddaughter, Siohban Fallon Hogan as the waitress and Kenan Thompson as a hilarious cameo.
I am quite surprised that Zach Braff directed this movie because he directed a solid indie called Garden State that has a better soundtrack than a movie. There are familiar elements in a somewhat odd contemporary world of Brooklyn that somehow does not make sense in parallel to their situations. Theodore Melfi, who has gotten acclaim for the crowd-pleasing Hidden Figures, wrote this and somehow achieves a bit of crowd-pleasing entertainment but does not sustain as much laughs. In the end, because Braff made this movie, it was not as special and ends up being more...professionally familiar that could have end up in another director's hands and made the same movie. So, it's not a bad movie to say at the least but the material is a mixed bag that has a good concrete drama but it sells as a comedy. And, as a comedy, it does not quite work to make me say it is as a good movie. It is enjoyable to watch when it arrives on cable or digital to rent.
**1/2
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