Review of Stand Up Guys (2012) by Kevbo85 — 13 Jul 2013

There is a definite feeling of talent being wrung out while watching Stand Up Guys, a lingering sense that the cast is the only thing provided for appeal. The story itself is fine, while certainly generic by way of repetition (how many gangster movies are we given on a yearly basis, after all?). The angle of senior, retired gangsters isn't original, but it is almost refreshing regardless. No, where this film falls flat is in matching the talent with scenes and dialog that match their abilities. The plot doesn't thicken, it grows increasingly thin as the minutes tick by. By the end, it is a sad state of affairs that one simply doesn't care what is going to happen...only that it happens sometime soon. No doubt, Christopher Walken and Al Pacino work well together. Mr. Walken's ability to gel with seemingly any actor or actress is almost supernatural, so it's no surprise that even despite the bland one-liners and compulsory (perhaps even unscripted) banter between his character and that of Pacino works despite the writing staff's best efforts to the contrary. Minor parts are also well casted, and well acted, but nowhere does the screenplay manage to come to life regardless of who is on camera. The rare action sequences are well done, no doubt, but almost feel forced under the weight of every other uninteresting moment.

Still, my strictly average score comes from the simple fact that, as actors, Pacino and Walken are two of my favorites. They also share a common thread throughout their respective careers of choosing seemingly unfitting or unpolished roles to take up, relative to their abilities. When each shines, they do so in a way that makes one great film justify a handful of those such as Stand Up Guys.