A cliché that has been done to death over the past few years is putting old people in more action-oriented roles. From the ok Red to the mostly dreadful Expendables series (the second one being the lone exception), this set-up for the most part has led to mostly forgettable films. Trying to buck that trend is the new heist comedy Going in Style.
Starring the Oscar winning trio of Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, and Morgan Freeman, the film follows three friends who find themselves in a desperate spot after losing their pension funds. Their solution, rob a bank, and get back at the bank that ultimately betrayed them.
Despite featuring three heavyweight talents, Going in Style fails to do its stars’ justice, featuring the trio in an earnest, yet largely forgettable romp.
Putting the film on their shoulders is the cast, whose charisma gives the material much-needed boost. Caine, Arkin, and Freeman make for a likable trio, playing off each other with ease and complimenting their individual skills. Certainly, this isn’t much of an acting challenge, but it’s still fun to just see these guys play their personas. Almost all the film’s laughs are generated from their delightful chemistry. Matt Dillon, Joey King, and Anne Marget also lend their talents and deliver solid work.
Going in Style isn’t without its moments. The film is at its best during the first third, when these clueless guys are trying to plan their heist. Director Zach Braff’s use of zippy score and stylish direction helps build a sense of momentum to the heist. The chemistry between Marget and Arkin is surprisingly sweet as well, and the film for the most part has its heart in the right place.
This film fails to ground itself in any sense of reality however, immediately taking away any sort of stakes. Ted Melfi’s screenplay has some shockingly inept moments of logic, taking some very drastic turns to try and make the story make a lick of sense. The heist itself is surprisingly weak, failing to be realistic or even deliver much laughs. The story in general is extremely conventional and forgettable.
For a film that is a designed more as a comedy, there really aren’t that many laughs. Part of the issue is that the second half of the film takes itself far too seriously, with its sappy melodrama striking a false nerve. All the character drama feels superficial, trying to add a sense of stakes to a movie that still feels weightless throughout. Its attempts to be a statement on today’s economic times just end up feeling stale.
Going in Style could be a decent diversion on cable, but as a theatrical watch it doesn’t pack nearly enough entertainment value or heart to sustain itself.