The chemistry between the three leads works, but the screenplay runs out of bullets.
We begin and close with the main character partying like he’s in a Gaspar Noe movie. The amazing thing is that he’s an old hitman, who seems to know the game, but doesn’t know that he can’t use the “R” word anymore or smoke in a bowling alley. At least, we get a funny joke when he drops his cigarette in an empty glass the waiter is holding. And that character’s name is Danny Dolinski, the actor playing him is Christoph Waltz, and the title of this action comedy is called “Old Guy.”
I can’t recommend this movie, because of the screenplay doesn’t justify any of the characters nor does it have enough bullets in its gun to keep shooting. But at least, it’s not as dreadful as “Love Hurts” or as mediocre and predictable as “Back in Action.” This is because of chemistry between the leading actors, who want to try something together, but it’s basically in the same analogy as friends thinking their class project will get them A’s, but they end up getting C’s. In this case, we also have Lucy Liu and Cooper Hoffman trying to sell “Old Guy” with director Simon West (“Con Air,” “The Expendables 2”).
I can’t give you the complete story in my review for two reasons, which are that I can’t follow the whole thing and I can’t give too much away. I can, however, provide you with the concept and what comes out of it. Dolinski is poised to go into retirement because of his arthritis, but is called back into the game when he must train a young Gen Z hitman named Wihlborg (Hoffman) for an assassination in Northern Ireland. The old man tries to take matters in his own hands, but ends up going deeper into what the situation unfolds for the both of them. And they’re aided by Dolinski’s old friend Anata (Liu).
Each of these three characters have problems. Dolinski has hand issues, Wihlborg has daddy issues, and Anata has love issues. At least that’s what I got out of this movie, especially when the old man, who needs to relax his injured right hand, shoots with the wrong hand.
The old man dresses like he’s in the 60s or 70s with his leather jacket and mustache but has a 90s hairstyle. At least the hair is what Anata comments on, and maybe that’s why he thinks he can still smoke at the bowling alley. And the young man has black fingernails, which he comments on comically.
“Old Guy” can be a likable movie, because of his genuinely likable Waltz, Hoffman, and Liu are. They all have the right attitude and productivity to keep their characters going with the flow. And I think Philip Seymour Hoffman would be proud of his boy for making it this far in his career, coming on the success of “Licorice Pizza” and “Saturday Night.” Waltz uses style, Hoffman doesn’t succumb to young and cocky characteristics, and Liu plays her character on a timely basis.
But the problem with this movie, and I hate to sound repetitive, is its screenplay, which relies to traitors, guns, and routine formulas to try to keep the reel rolling along. There still can be formulas in better action comedies, but only if they’re handled with the right material. It all ends up being forgettable.
This movie will play in a few theaters (and don’t ask me which theaters are showing this), and will be streaming online (don’t ask me where exactly), but there’s no rush to see it. It actually makes more sense as a rental than a theatrical showing. Let’s save the gun for another day.
In Select Theaters and Streaming on VOD This Friday