I am very late to the TIFF party, but at least I'm now at the party. I'm probably only seeing one film at the festival after this but I love going so I'll take what I can get. Tonight I had the honour of seeing David Lowery's new film and Robert Redford's apparent final film and I really enjoyed it.
This film tells the (mostly) true story of an old man that robs banks for a living. After tons of robberies and sixteen prison escapes, he meets a woman that he fancies and starts to spend time with her between robberies. As their relationship begins, so does an investigation into his recent string of robberies, where he and his cronies are dubbed the "over the hill gang."
What a performance from Redford in this one, I really hope he manages to snag an Oscar nomination because not only is it his alleged last performance, but he's also just really great. Throughout the film you're constantly hit with his undeniable charm, charm that on its own is enough to make this performance memorable. But behind all the charm and class, there are moments where it feels like there's more emotional depth to his character. Lowery doesn't really explore this, which actually works really well and gives this already great character a sense of ambiguity to go along with everything else. I loved Redford in this, and he isn't even the only standout. The woman he meets is played by Sissy Spacek, who at times manages to match Redford's charm. Her character is very much a cowgirl-esque kinda gal that kept her southern charm as she grew older. Take any scene between the two of them and there might just be too much charm to handle. Redford's small crew is made up of himself, Danny Glover, and Tom Waits. Neither Glover or Waits are developed much at all, and neither have a ton of screen time. Despite that I really enjoyed their presence in the film, bringing solid performances to their small roles. Leading the investigation in the film is Casey Affleck. I know Affleck has some problems but he always impresses me with his acting and he did so again here, bringing to life a really fun camaraderie between himself and Redford. If you enjoyed BlackKKlansman you'll be in for a little fun surprise as John David Washington appears in the film, albeit in a very small role.
This film cemented David Lowery as a director I can get excited about. I didn't really care for Pete's Dragon, but I really liked A Ghost Story and while this isn't as unique artistically as that film I still think Lowery did a fantastic job. He brings the 80s setting to life beautifully, doing so through pretty much every facet of production. The cinematography and editing feel very old-fashioned and retro which helped with not only the setting but also the story as it centers around an old gentleman. The story is a really delightful one. You have an old man that is just doing the thing he loves and it's a joy to watch. It isn't always clear where the story is going and that causes it to drag a bit at times, but Lowery luckily manages to reign it in and bump the audience investment back up before it gets too slow.
This was a great movie, and the audience at TIFF was loving it from start to finish. I'm glad Redford gets to see himself off with such a great film and with a character that feels so genuine to who he is as a person. Great film that I'm really glad I saw.
Rating: 4.1/5
This film tells the (mostly) true story of an old man that robs banks for a living. After tons of robberies and sixteen prison escapes, he meets a woman that he fancies and starts to spend time with her between robberies. As their relationship begins, so does an investigation into his recent string of robberies, where he and his cronies are dubbed the "over the hill gang."
What a performance from Redford in this one, I really hope he manages to snag an Oscar nomination because not only is it his alleged last performance, but he's also just really great. Throughout the film you're constantly hit with his undeniable charm, charm that on its own is enough to make this performance memorable. But behind all the charm and class, there are moments where it feels like there's more emotional depth to his character. Lowery doesn't really explore this, which actually works really well and gives this already great character a sense of ambiguity to go along with everything else. I loved Redford in this, and he isn't even the only standout. The woman he meets is played by Sissy Spacek, who at times manages to match Redford's charm. Her character is very much a cowgirl-esque kinda gal that kept her southern charm as she grew older. Take any scene between the two of them and there might just be too much charm to handle. Redford's small crew is made up of himself, Danny Glover, and Tom Waits. Neither Glover or Waits are developed much at all, and neither have a ton of screen time. Despite that I really enjoyed their presence in the film, bringing solid performances to their small roles. Leading the investigation in the film is Casey Affleck. I know Affleck has some problems but he always impresses me with his acting and he did so again here, bringing to life a really fun camaraderie between himself and Redford. If you enjoyed BlackKKlansman you'll be in for a little fun surprise as John David Washington appears in the film, albeit in a very small role.
This film cemented David Lowery as a director I can get excited about. I didn't really care for Pete's Dragon, but I really liked A Ghost Story and while this isn't as unique artistically as that film I still think Lowery did a fantastic job. He brings the 80s setting to life beautifully, doing so through pretty much every facet of production. The cinematography and editing feel very old-fashioned and retro which helped with not only the setting but also the story as it centers around an old gentleman. The story is a really delightful one. You have an old man that is just doing the thing he loves and it's a joy to watch. It isn't always clear where the story is going and that causes it to drag a bit at times, but Lowery luckily manages to reign it in and bump the audience investment back up before it gets too slow.
This was a great movie, and the audience at TIFF was loving it from start to finish. I'm glad Redford gets to see himself off with such a great film and with a character that feels so genuine to who he is as a person. Great film that I'm really glad I saw.
Rating: 4.1/5
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