The Old Man & the Gun

Dir: David Lowery

2018

****

All good things must come to an end and I think Robert Redford has chosen a fine film to end his career on. So many great actors have ended their careers on a bum note, not always by choice but many have had such a bad experience and have tired of the process, that they’ve simply walked off set never to return to the studio again. Redford has clearly learned from other people’s mistakes, not that he’s ever made a bad film. Retirement called and he wanted to go out on a high, so that is exactly what he did. Based on David Grann's 2003 article in The New Yorker - which was later collected in Grann's 2010 book The Devil and Sherlock Holmes – The Old Man & the Gun stars Redford alongside Casey Affleck, Danny Glover, Tika Sumpter, Tom Waits and Sissy Spacek. Redford produced the film with others and director David Lowery also wrote the screenplay. While the story is based on real events, the film is a work of fiction. Writer/director David Lowery had attempted to write the true crime version of the story based on Grann's published version of what really happened but Robert Redford never felt like he fit into that. According to Lowery himself, his idea of who Robert Redford was as an actor never really fit into the true story of Forrest Tucker. So after many, many drafts, he realized that what he needed to write was the movie that Forrest Tucker would have wanted to see. He needed to write the version of Forrest Tucker that he saw in his own head as opposed to the factual one. There was a thin line between two, but the end result is a character that was Tucker but was also a character that Redford could mould and make his own. I’m not sure on whose authority, but the film is riddled with subtle references to Redford’s career, making it a great film in its own right as well as a massive Easter egg for his fans. The movie begins in 1982 with career criminal Forrest Tucker (Redford) robbing a bank with a gun (which you don’t see) and a smile (which you most definitely do see). The 61 year old has been a wanted man for two years, since his daring escape from San Quentin State Prison in 1979. The robbery goes smoothly, like he’s done it hundreds of times before (which he had) and instead of trying to out run the police who are chasing him, Tucker decides to stop behind a woman on the side of the road who clearly has car trouble. No one would expect a bank robber to stop in such a situation so the police continue the chase, believing Tucker must be somewhere ahead in the distance. The woman, Jewel (Sissy Spacek), who is grateful for his help, buys Tucker lunch at a diner. Despite introducing himself with a fake name, Tucker becomes drawn to Jewel to the point of revealing that he is a bank robber. The two later spend time together on Jewel's farm where Tucker becomes enamored with her and her life. Tucker soon hatches a plan to pay off the rest of Jewel's mortgage as a surprise but becomes frustrated after her bank tells him that this would require Jewel's signature on some documents, negating any surprise. Tucker goes on to conduct a string of heists with his long-time partners John Waller (Tom Waits) and Teddy Green (Danny Glover), often without having to draw his gun from under his coat. Dallas Police Detective John Hunt (Casey Affleck) compiles police sketches from witnesses who describe Tucker as charming and gentlemanly. Detective Hunt’s enthusiasm for police work is renewed when Tucker actually robs the bank he’s in without him knowing. The sketches are soon displayed on the evening news, asking anyone with information to come forward. Waller and Green are unaware of this and Tucker decides not to tell them. Shortly afterwards, Hunt's investigation is taken over by the FBI. A woman named Dorothy (Elisabeth Moss) comes forward stating that she is Tucker's daughter. Although he is no longer on the case, Hunt agrees to meet with her. Dorothy says that she was born while Tucker was in prison making Tucker unaware of her or his grandchild. Hunt is led to Tucker's former lawyer who says that Tucker has never pulled the trigger of his gun. According to his lawyer, police reports of Tucker firing during a standoff are false as it was simply his car's engine backfiring. Later, during a night out with Jewel, Tucker happens to recognize Detective Hunt who is with his wife Maureen (Tika Sumpter). Tucker tries to boost Hunt's confidence but becomes unnerved when Hunt calls him by his real name, "Forrest", indicating that the recognition is mutual. Later that evening, police attempt to capture Tucker as he arrives home. He flees, but again his car backfires, prompting police to shoot at him, striking him in the arm. He eludes them and makes his way to Jewels farm. As it's the early hours of the morning, he decides not to wake Jewel and instead takes one of her horses for a ride. Tucker had never ridden a horse before and, as was explained earlier on in the film when they were both in conversation, it was on his list of things he wanted to do. While riding, several police vehicles come down the road and turn onto the farm's property. Tucker resigns himself to surrendering and does. When Jewel visits him in prison, Tucker gives her a list of his sixteen previous escapes from reformatories and prisons, but line number seventeen is left blank. On Jewel's advice, he remains in San Quentin until the end of his sentence. When Tucker is released from prison, Jewel is there to pick him up. She takes him to her farm and sets up a room for him, telling him he can stay as long as he likes. Everything seems fine but Tucker becomes aloof and distracted. One day, months after his release, Tucker tells Jewel he is going out on an errand. He calls Detective Hunt from a street-side payphone, and after some brief banter, Tucker sounds distracted and when Hunt asks him if he is okay, Tucker says "I'm about to be.", then hangs up the phone and walks into a bank across the street. A title card states that "Tucker robbed four banks that day before eventually being caught. While he was being arrested, the police noted Tucker was smiling." It’s every bit as cool as you’d hope Redford’s last film would be. The direction is wonderful and the entire film is shot on 16mm film. The editing is king throughout, with each turn of events keeping the audience intrigued. Redford said in an interview that he wanted his last film to be fun, and that is exactly what the film is, as well as effortlessly cool and full of charm. I loved how Lowery added clips from 1966’s The Chase (starring a young Redford) and clips from 1971’s Two-Lane Blacktop after seeing similarities between Forrest Tucker and Warren Oates' character. It sets the tone beautifully. The stand out scene is a sort of dream sequence that sees Redford being chased by several police cars in the middle of a country road. Once caught, Redford smiles at the police before shooting them with his finger. It’s a hell of a way to end a career and its authentic too, rather than a man trying to mimic or compete with his younger self. I’m sad that such a shining career has come to an end but I’m thrilled that it ended on such a high note. An instant classic.