Cole's Rating: ★★★
Director: Fisher Stevens
Year: 2012
Cast: Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin
Genre: Comedy/Crime
MPAA Rating: R
When three actors as good as Alan Arkin, Al Pacino, and Christopher Walken are purported to be in a new crime film, the expectations are astoundingly high given their success in the cinematic industry, and their success in that genre specifically. After seeing Stand Up Guys, I can undoubtedly say that this film is strictly for viewing the acting prowess of these veterans. In fact, you might as well just ignore every other aspect of the film, because otherwise, your dislike to the poorly crafted everything-else may be enough to make you not like the movie. If that happens, then it’s a shame to admit that a cast of some of the best actors of all time can’t save an all-out dud.Stand Up Guys goes like this: Pacino’s character (Val), now old and haggard, just got released from prison after serving 28 years for murder, and Walken’s character (Doc) is there to pick him up and take him out for the night of his life, which may be his last. Doc has orders from a less-than-intimidating, totally cliched crime lord to kill Val. Along the ride, they visit the emergency room, a brothel, a dance floor, and, yes, their old-time friend Hirsch (Arkin). There are some genuine laughs here, and the movie believably sells itself as a comedy for a large portion of the time. But sure enough, when I picked the DVD up at Redbox, it was labeled as “Action”. They might as well wave a red flag in front of the title, because that’s exactly what I did upon recognition of this foggy, endlessly flawed, and rather pathetic script (it had a minimal amount of good ideas, one being that he has to kill Val). If I were Pacino, Walken, or Arkin, I’d be pretty infuriated at the filmmakers on this one because it felt as if I were watching 12 Rounds (but in reality, thank the lord that I didn’t have to sit through a John Cena movie again).
That’s Stand Up Guys main problem. It honestly could have been a much, much better film. As usual, the actors were great, but they were the only true thing that make it enjoyable, entertaining, and watchable. There were so many great scenes that relied on the fluidity that the actors create, which absorbed me on screen. This is why I recommend the movie. Flaws aside (there are many, including the cop out of an ending), this cast delivers the goods. They make the best out of every scene, whether it be comedic or dramatic, and I left this film with an overwhelming sense of respect for these doyens. “Wow,” I thought. The title says that they are "stand up guys", and maybe so. But they sure don’t stand you up here.
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