For Three Friends, You’re Never too Old for a Heist

From left: Alan Arkin, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine
in "Going in Style"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

In 1979, screenwriter and director Martin Brest gave us his caper comedy, “Going in Style,” which told the story of three elderly men who decide to rob a bank.  While it provided plenty of laughs, thanks the on-screen bonds shared by George Burns, Art Carney, and Lee Strasberg, it also had some welcome doses of poignancy that focused on the reality of aging.  

Actor Zach Braff now brings us his third directorial feature with a remake of Brest’s film.  While the movie doesn’t have jokes that are quite as memorable as those in the original and doesn’t have the same emotional impact, it ultimately works because of the chemistry between its three talented leads.

Joe (Michael Caine), Willie (Morgan Freeman), and Albert (Alan Arkin) are senior citizens and close friends living in New York City.  When the company for which they work is bought out and their pensions are impacted, the trio are left without much money on which to fall back.  In order to get the money they need to ensure a comfortable living, the three decide to steal from a bank.  Having been law-abiding citizens their whole lives, they will have to do whatever they can to make sure their plan succeeds.

The combined work of Caine, Freeman, and Arkin is the reason why this movie works at all.  But, with all three of these actors being Oscar winners, it isn’t any surprise that they would be the best part of this movie.  They are talented enough that, even if they’re saying a joke that isn’t too funny, you still can’t help but chuckle because of the delivery of their lines.

At some points, the screenplay by Theodore Melfi falls into the trap of sentimentality, which was an issue with his 2014 comedy, “St. Vincent,” which he wrote and directed.  While the original “Going in Style” faced the concept of aging in a way that was affecting, the remake tends to go in a more crowd-pleasing direction that kind of hinders the film, particularly the way in which the end is handled.  Also, the movie doesn’t waste time in bringing the it’s-funny-because-they’re-elderly jokes, which is disheartening because a movie with actors of Caine, Freeman, and Arkin’s statures deserves something funnier.

Although this remake doesn’t reach the quality of the original, there’s still a bit of a sense of fun that Braff brings when he has these three esteemed actors work together.  Yes, given the talent that’s involved in the cast, this film should have been better, but it’s a passable comedy that’s recommendable, if only slightly, because of its skillful trio.

Final Grade: B-