Saturday, February 9, 2013

Pacino, Walken and Arkin Are 'Stand Up Guys'



Stand Up Guys stars three of the industry’s best actors. Yet, even with Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin, the movie doesn’t quite hit the mark.

The story lags, as does the dialogue. The actors lumber through their scenes as if they’re looking for some direction.   Directing his first dramatic feature, it looks as if Fisher Stevens’ allowed the actors to do their thing while the cameras rolled.

That being said, even though this is a bad movie, watching this threesome is still magical, especially once Arkin hits the screen. 

 CHRISTOPHER WALKEN, ALAN ARKIN & AL PACINO

The story goes like this.

Val (Al Pacino) is released from prison after serving 28 years because he refused to rat on one of his fellow criminals. Soon after his best friend Doc (Christopher Walken) picks him up from prison, the two pick up another one of their criminal pals, Hirsch (Alan Arkin) and decide to not only party like it’s 1999 one last time, but they also resume their criminal ways.

Val, Doc and Hirsch are literally OGs. The one-time gangsters, all in their late 60s, let fly with a myriad of old man jokes. There are references to Viagra, technology and drugs.

The story takes a dark turn when it’s revealed that one of the friends is keeping a dangerous secret- he's been put in an impossible quandary by a former mob boss, and his time to find an acceptable alternative is running out. As the sun rises on the guys' legendary reunion, their position becomes more and more desperate and they finally confront their past once and for all. 

 CHRISTOPHER WALKEN and AL PACINO

Stand Up Guys (Lionsgate), directed by Fisher Stevens, stars Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin, Julianna Margulies, Lucy Punch, Mark Margolis, Addison Timlin and Vanessa Ferlito.

Running time: 1 hr., 35 minutes.

On the Donloe Scale – D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likeable), O (OK), E (excellent), Stand Up Guys gets an O (OK).

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