Three old men went to rob a bank.
That sentence seems to be the
start of a joke, but that’s the premise of Going
in Style. Which makes sense anyway; it’s a comedy film after all. In it, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Alan Arkin play a trio of
senior citizen buddies who decide to rob the bank that screwed them of their
pensions.
Going in Style is neither a brilliant comedy nor heist film. It can even be argued that its average at
best. But it does have chuckles and heart. There are some moments and pieces of dialogue
where I laughed or had my heart strings pulled.
And the audience can sympathize
with the protagonists. Their situation
is relatable since we all have our share of experiences – or know people who
have – of being oppressed or put in a desperate situation by “The Establishment”
in one form or another. Hence, the
narrative is somewhat enhanced by this “underdogs sticking it to the man”
factor. This, at the very least, makes
the movie not boring.
Moreover, it stars legends
Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. Their
presence is always a good thing for a movie.
Their performances here are dignified and amiable, fulfilling the
comedic requirements of their old men characters with grace, the antithesis of
Robert De Niro in real life Dirty Grandpa. Alan Arkin, though maybe less
beloved than Caine and Freeman, is nonetheless as prolific as them as an actor. He has displayed great proficiency in comedy
in the past (e.g. Grudge Match),
which he also did in this movie. Christopher
Lloyd also has a funny supporting role in it, as a senile member of the lodge
the trio’s in. It’s great to see him on
screen, which is rare these days.
Going in Style is gently humorous and touching, and its leads are
delightful. It’s unremarkable, but it’s also
easy and sufficiently entertaining to watch.
Sometimes, it’s okay for a movie to be just that.
No comments:
Post a Comment