MovieChat Forums > The Old Man & the Gun (2018) Discussion > Am I Supposed to Like This Guy?

Am I Supposed to Like This Guy?

posted 5 years ago by Tabbycat (748)
5 replies | jump to latest

Because he smiles a lot and is nice to people he sticks up?

I don’t like people who steal. They are not nice people, no matter how polite they may be while taking the loot. To me, crime is not romantic or exciting or anything good. It’s stupid and self-destructive.

I guess I see the point of making a movie like this — “it’s a character study.” Yeah — of a guy I don’t respect. He even had the love of a good-hearted woman with a nice house on green acreage with horses. But no: he threw that all away to rob banks for fun. Okay, great.

I know this isn’t technically Redford’s film but ... yeah, it is. He produced and starred — and that means he hand-picked it. Maybe he wanted to play a bad guy for once. It is very well-made, but I guess I don’t really care.

Best thing is SFX that shows, somehow, an actual real young Redford escaping from prison. It ain’t a ringer, nor is it makeup. THAT was film magic.

[–] RichardBlaine (303) 5 years ago

I thought the same thing. Have we run out of good guys to glorify in film?

That said, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" is one of my all-time favorites. So go figure.

[–] Tabbycat (748) 5 years ago

Butch Cassidy was a horse of a different color — and a great film.

Yes, they were thieves and bandits (and card cheats). But they were very likeable and struggling to survive changing times. It’s sad watching the world of their glory days slip away and leave them desperate enough to try another country (which, it turns out, doesn’t take kindly to their kind.)
Two overconfident nice guys who just made a poor career choice. Big difference from our impetuous hero here.

[–] KutWrite (1220) 5 years ago

Yup, 'cause it's Robert Redford.

Being polite while robbing from people with money is the Socialist way. That is, OTHER people with money. That probably appealed to Mr. Redford.

I suspect anyone else pitching this film would have been turned down.

I did enjoy Affleck's character and his portrayal of same.

R.R. played a badder guy in one of those Captain America things. I'm not sure he was a good guy in the one about gamblers or hackers.

[–] Tabbycat (748) 5 years ago

No argument re Affleck.
Most interesting portrayal in it.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Yeah? Well you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.