By Emilio Frenk.
Director: Zach Braff
Cast: Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Alan Arkin, Ann-Margret, Joey King, John Ortiz, Maria Dizzia, Peter Serafinowicz, Matt Dillon, Kenan Thompson and Christopher Lloyd.
Rating: Good.
Zach Braff, director of “Garden State” and “Wish I Was Here” brings “Going in Style”, a remake of the 1979 film starring George Burns, Art Carney and Lee Strasberg that does entertain and make you feel good at all levels.
The movie center in three long time friends and senior citizens Joe (Michael Caine), Willie (Morgan Freeman) and Albert (Alan Arkin) who one day are surprised when they receive the news that the company the three men work for has been bought out and their pensions got frozen.
The three men not only are disappointed but are upset and blame the corrupt system that is run by the banks for this.
One day Joeshares an idea with both Willie and Albert of robbing a bank. They both think Joe is crazy and at the beginning they don´t want to do it due to the risks that implicate of pulling a heist specially because the three men are not young.
At the end of the day the three accept on doing the job and they will perform it carefully without getting caught and most of all to enjoy every single moment that life has to offer.
One of the things that I liked of “Going In Style” was seeing the main cast which are Hollywood Legends and of course Academy Award Winners.
Seeing this three actors made me smile and there were moments the three of the them with their humor made me laugh.
The screenplay was written by Theodore Melfi, who in this past awards season got all the praise with his latest film “Hidden Figures” and again he did a very good job despite having a third act of the film that it could have had a better execution.
Zach Braff´s directing was very sharp and I did like how he manage the timing of the film and the comedy which are crucial for this kind of movies. By far I have to mention that this is Zach Braff´s most ambitious movie due to the high caliber actors he directed.
Normally remakes of movies don´t work but this one did. I felt identified with the characters of the film and seeing this three actors in the big screen indeed a huge blessing.
As I mentioned previously the only problem I saw with the movie is after they rob the bank. Here the movie goes by moments downhill and the resolution could have had a better execution.
The third act of a movie is as important as the first two acts since it defines the essence of the movie. Still the movie delivered the goods.
Theodore Melfi who besides being a brilliant director is an outstanding writer could have worked more in the screenplay but still he did manage on doing a good job.
“Going in Style” is a movie that I´m sure you are going to enjoy specially of the fact of watching three Hollywood legends on the big screen and I give a recommendation to it despite of the flaws that the movie had during the third act.