The Old Man and the Gun (2018)

[Robert Crawford]

Title: The Old Man and the Gun

Tagline: This story is mostly true.

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama

Director: David Lowery

Cast: Robert Redford, Casey Affleck, Sissy Spacek, Danny Glover, Tika Sumpter, Tom Waits, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Robert Longstreet, Keith Carradine, John David Washington, Augustine Frizzell

Release: 2018-09-28

Runtime: 93

Plot: The true story of Forrest Tucker, from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public. Wrapped up in the pursuit are a detective, who becomes captivated with Forrest’s commitment to his craft, and a woman, who loves him in spite of his chosen profession.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Reportedly, Robert Redford's swan song from acting. Looking forward to this one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Tucker_(criminal)

 

[Jake Lipson]

David Lowry directed this.

Anybody who can go from making Pete's Dragon to A Ghost Story to this...just...damn, that's an impressive range of talent.

I'm for sure in, whenever it opens here. I think it's going to get a limited rollout so it might take a while to reach us.

 

[Robert Crawford]

"This story is mostly true"

 

[Craig S]

Along with First Man, my most anticipated film of the fall. Looks fun and elegiac at the same time - an appropriate sendoff role for one of the last great movie stars.

Love the 70s look of the trailer.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I think this looks pretty good.

 

[Jake Lipson]

This is going to 600 screens this weekend according to Box Office Mojo, which is finally enough to reach me.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I saw this over the weekend and liked it very much. As I thought, it's completely different than Pete's Dragon and A Ghost Story and speaks to David Lowry's impressive ability to make varying different kinds of stories equally well. Apart from the use of a couple actors he's worked with before (Redford in Pete's Dragon and Casey Affleck from A Ghost Story and Ain't Them Bodies Saints), you couldn't tell that they're all from the same director if you didn't know -- his style isn't showy, but is very effective in giving each unique story what it need.

Redford is super-charming in it and couldn't ask for a better final role, and the rest of the cast surrounding him is great too in well-developed characters which they are clearly enjoying bringing to life. It's an extremely enjoyable hour and a half which is paced perfectly and never wears out its welcome. It's really nice to see a simple, quieter human story like this get focus on the big screen.

Highly recommended from me. The wide break is actually into 802 theaters (we even have it on two screens right now at mine) and it made it into the bottom of the top ten, so hopefully it's out near most of you, or if it's not further expansion should follow given its success thus far.

 

[Robert Crawford]

It's not playing anywhere around me in mid-Michigan. I hope it expands to more theaters this weekend.

 

[Jake Lipson]

It's not playing anywhere around me in mid-Michigan. I hope it expands to more theaters this weekend.

We've talked about you being very late to get things before. What is the minimum number of theaters that a movie has to hit to open near you?

Searchlight has to be pleased with the numbers it got, since it was up +123.4% over the prior weekend according to Box Office Mojo. I can't imagine a scenario in which they wouldn't continue to expand given these circumstances. Hopefully you get it soon.

 

[Robert Crawford]

We've talked about you being very late to get things before. What is the minimum number of theaters that a movie has to hit to open near you?

Searchlight has to be pleased with the numbers it got, since it was up +123.4% over the prior weekend according to Box Office Mojo. I can't imagine a scenario in which they wouldn't continue to expand given these circumstances. Hopefully you get it soon.

I don't know, the closest theater it's playing at is 55 miles away one way.

 

[Jake Lipson]

55 miles away

Ugh.

All I can say is good luck with further expansion.

I'll keep an eye on the theater count and try to post in here if it goes up substantially in the next couple weeks, which hopefully it will. It only makes business sense to keep expanding a movie that is doing well.

 

[benbess]

Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek are both good in this, but the movie is slow and not quite my cup of tea. My rating: B-

 

[Jake Lipson]

Box Office Mojo says it is expanding again tomorrow to 240 new theaters, for 1,042 total.

Is that enough to make it near you, Robert?

 

[Jeff Adkins]

I saw this over the weekend and liked it very much. As I thought, it's completely different than Pete's Dragon and A Ghost Story and speaks to David Lowry's impressive ability to make varying different kinds of stories equally well. Apart from the use of a couple actors he's worked with before (Redford in Pete's Dragon and Casey Affleck from A Ghost Story and Ain't Them Bodies Saints), you couldn't tell that they're all from the same director if you didn't know -- his style isn't showy, but is very effective in giving each unique story what it need.

Redford is super-charming in it and couldn't ask for a better final role, and the rest of the cast surrounding him is great too in well-developed characters which they are clearly enjoying bringing to life. It's an extremely enjoyable hour and a half which is paced perfectly and never wears out its welcome. It's really nice to see a simple, quieter human story like this get focus on the big screen.

Highly recommended from me.

I saw this on Wednesday and I can't really add much to what you've said. My review is pretty much the same as yours. Lowry's versatility is impressive. It's hard to believe this is the same director who made A Ghost Story (which I also loved).

 

[Elizabeth S]

Yes, a bit on the slow side, but Redford has such a unique charm.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I don't get the complaint that this movie is slow, because in this case being slow and servicing the characters is exactly what it needs. A faster-paced version of it would not work as well and definitely would not service Redford's character as well as this does.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Box Office Mojo says it is expanding again tomorrow to 240 new theaters, for 1,042 total.

Is that enough to make it near you, Robert?

Unfortunately, no. Looks like theater complexes in mid-Michigan have no desire to run this film.

 

[holtge]

Add me to the list of people who have actually seen this film. It made it to my Regal Cinemas multiplex in Idaho Falls this past weekend. I liked it. It was slow, as others have pointed out, but as someone who grew up in the 1980s when this movie was set, I enjoyed my trip down nostalgia lane. I was also impressed with Redford's performance. If this truly is his last big screen appearance, it really was a fun way to end his career with!

 

[Jake Lipson]

Looks like theater complexes in mid-Michigan have no desire to run this film.

Have you tried calling your theater and asking for it? It couldn't hurt to let them know you want it. I'm not suggesting that they would book it only for you, but you're probably not the only one locally who would like to see it.