Going in Style

As the life expectancy continues to increase, I predict we’ll be seeing a lot more movies like “Going in Style”. And why not? If great actors still want to perform even when their faces have begun to sag, there’s no reason not to cast them in a film or, in this case, to find an obscure picture and re-make it (the original comes from 1979) so a bunch of seasoned veterans can continue to entertain audiences.

Retirees Joe (Michael Caine), Willie (Morgan Freeman) and Al (Akan Arkin) discover that a company merger has dissolved their pensions. Desperate for cash, they get the idea to rob a bank.

The biggest relief is that "Going in Style" does not overplay the “old man” card. Our three “heroes” are not really old; they’re just retired. What I mean is that their robbery rehearsals are not delayed because of someone having to put on adult diapers, nor do they try and incorporate prunes, canes, seeing-eye glasses or other typical “old people” things into the robbery. For Joe, Willie, and Al, being retired is more of a life situation than a sign that they’re approaching death. I know to some younger audiences the idea of a 75-year-old Ann-Margret (who plays Annie, a flirty grocery store employee) getting romantically involved might sound off-putting at first, but she’s a sexy lady. As a whole, this film treats the elderly as normal people, except not as spry and with a lot more time on their hands. With the exception of a few side characters (such as Christopher Lloyd’s Milton), they're all there mentally, so why WOULDN'T they be able to pull off this job?

The film has a fair number of good jokes, most of which originate from Al, Willie, and Joe bickering amongst each other in the preparation stage of the heist. Where the film works less well is when it tries to be sweet and emotional. You buy the friendship between the three heroes. That’s enough to make you cheer for them. They didn’t ALL have to be gentle old men. A bit more spice would've added something to the film. Additionally, some of the gags, such as the ones surrounding smarmy bank manager Chuck (John Pais) are a bit over-the-top, as is the trio’s first attempt at a heist in a grocery store.

It’s good to see Caine, Freeman, and Arkin in main roles. The three work well together and Ann-Margret has a lot of charm. “Going in Style” has laughs that will appeal to you, regardless of your age and contains some turns I didn’t expect or see coming. The film’s not groundbreaking and could’ve used a little more bite, but it’s a fine way to spend some time at the theater. (Theatrical version on the big screen, April 8, 2017)