Stand Up Guys (2013)

Directed by: Fisher Stevens
Written by:  Noah Haidle
Players: Christopher Walken, Al Pacino, Alan Arkin

Setup- A former con man is released from jail and is quick to make up for lost time with his friend. He indulges in food, alcohol, and sex without regard. We then learn that his friend was given a task to murder him and he only has until the morning to complete it. They find the remaining member of their old group and go out on the own like it was the good old days. 

Life is a fickle bitch. We spend most of our lives wanting to be older and then when we actually become old-- only then do we realize the mistakes we made. This makes us spend the last few months/years (depending on the form of cancer you have) of our advanced age thinking about what went wrong and how we would have gone about it differently... or if you're not a hollow shell of a human being, maybe what you could have done better. Being the old and learned gent that I know myself to be, I can nod my head in silent understanding towards this movie. 

In STAND UP GUYS, Val (Al Pacino) is just getting out of prison; simultaneously Doc (Christopher Walken), is getting read to pick up him up. The two characters are introduced as proud guys, everything they do-- from putting on their socks to looking in the mirror to picking up their belongings from lockup-- is done with a sense of respect to the action. They haven't seen each other outside the prison walls for roughly 28 years. This beginning is a bit straining. Does Doc even like this guy still? Is Val a creep? Why does Doc keep flashing a gun behind his back? You don't really see the actors being themselves, the unique personality that they bring is not evident. 

Doc has a gun because he's gotta pop Val! Val did something horrible, got sent to prison, and it has been Doc’s obligation to murder him as soon as Val served his sentence. Isn’t Doc supposed to be Val’s friend, though? Good job, you’ve been paying attention. Doc is Val’s friend! And it’s tense to know what’s coming. Thus, we see Doc try and be a good guy and obey Val’s every command, which includes a lot of extravagant eating, partying, and prostitute visiting.

The movie didn’t really pick up the necessary gusto until they picked up their former partner-in-crime Hirsch (Alan Arkin). We are introduced to Hirsch as an old man battling emphysema; just a withered and dying old man, an old man who is old and dying... no longer young and healthy. As soon as Hirsch gets busted out of the nursing home by his friends, he establishes some pretty badass cred by driving the hell out of a new Dodge Charger that Doc and Val stole.. See, Hirsch was the wheelman when they were pulling jobs way back when and that old son-of-a-bitch hasn’t lost a step, he drives the dope out of that car. Seriously awesome shit. So good on you, Hirsch.

Hirsch is the fire that lights up these men’s hearts. From that point on you stop feeling sorry for anyone. Seriously, they are men again and we are along for a great ride as they rediscover how to be master’s of their domain. 

I really didn’t like the beginning of the movie. It was slow, the character’s were washed up and sometimes embarrassing themselves. But I pulled through and found myself deeply involved by the start of the 3rd act. They manage to wrap everything up nicely, even if it is a bit blunt. There are a couple scenes that leave you wondering why they are even in this situation in the first place, considering the skills they display. I guess the whole point of the movie is the fact that they lost their way and their focus, but that life is always worth living as long as you have air in your chest. If you have time to watch a movie, you won't be heartbroken watching this movie. 

 

Tidbit: Al Pacino was NOT method acting during the boner scene. It was just film industry magic!

Drink of Choice: Old Fashioned. Because these guys are old school.