Full Movie Reviews
Rating of
3/4
A Simple Buddy Movie
Amoeba Johnny - wrote on 03/04/2014
I won't lay down the plot, because that's been done better in previous reviews. The movie, to me, feels like every time I go back to my hometown: I get together with old friends, we have a couple of laughs, some drinks, get as wild as we can at our age, and the time is over. And in that way, the movie works.
As for the actors, I think they play well off of each other. Walken's straight-man works well as an opposite against Pacino's party guy. And Arkin... man he always spices up a movie/show, doesn't he? And trust me when I say he doesn't disappoint here.
I just think Pacino tries too hard to be the party guy. While the rest of the guys understand and accept their maturity, Pacino's character doesn't/can't. That being said, I think there's one in every group of friends like that. …
Rating of
2.5/4
The Mobster Bucket List
Chris Kavan - wrote on 05/17/2013
With the amount of pedigree involved, Stand Up Guys certainly has the potential to be a knock out - but somewhere along the way this actor's piece gets a bit bogged down in combining comedy more suited to some teen-centric demographic along with over-dramatic moments that just never gels with the actors involved.
Let's start with what works: any time Alan Arkin is on screen, I loved the movie. His character is a nice mix of exuberant excitement and world-weary acceptance of his mortality. Whether playing chicken with the cops or living his final wish of having, as the French call it, a Menage a Trois, he is pure gold. It's too bad his part isn't larger (and that he exits entirely too quickly) because I enjoyed pretty much every scene he is in.
That's not to say that Al Pacino and …
Rating of
3/4
chew gum or kick ass
smeagol - wrote on 05/16/2013
well what are we gonna do ? chew gum or kick ass ? well wer'e all out of gum lol.
very likeable movie with some suttle comedy elements from two great actors .al pacino plays the aging conman who has just got out of prison after a 25 yr stretch. walken plays his partner in crime best friend who has the job of having to kill him before 10am , but not before they have one last night out together.,
pacino wants to live it up like the old days , walken is more happy these days to paint and relax but together they set about having a eventful night , there is a funny viagra scene and some nice moments of friendship and a little asskicking along the way.
The soundtrack is great. the acting is good. very reserved from walken but it works.
overall a enjoyable movie well worth seeing. and …
Rating of
2/4
Stand Up Guys review
Daniel Corleone - wrote on 02/18/2013
Individuals who have stellar careers who have been connected with cool films such as The Deer Hunter, Dead Zone, Seven Psychopaths, The Godfather, Scent of a Woman, Argo, and Grosse Point Blank. A wise-guys Bucket List stumbles because of lackluster screenplay, lousy direction, dull soundtrack and an underutilized powerful cast. Val (Al Pacino) gets released after several years and his friend Doc (Christopher Walken) meets-up with him. Problem is, there is a contract to take-out Val. Their old reliable driver, Hirsch (Alan Arkin) is met by the pair. Not much humor, actually not a lot for a comedy. Even the conclusion was immensely disappointing after the build-up of the friendship.
This reviewer feels the three talents agreed to do this was to have an opportunity to work …
Rating of
2/4
Chewing gum vs Kicking Ass!
MovieAddict - wrote on 02/10/2013
“I do the same thing every day, I paint the sunrise, I watch the cable TV, try to eat right, relax, go to bed, nothing earth shattering!!!”
Al Pacino plays Val, who is released from the slammer after 28 years when he refused to rat out his buddies. He is picked up by Doc, his best friend and partner- in-crime (Christopher Walken) who’s been enlisted to whack his chum by 10 am the next day or else. Alan Arkin completes the gang as their old driver Richard Hirsch who they break out from Nursing Home and who lasts long enough to check off the ménage à trios item off his bucket list.
Doc does his best to make his old buddy happy…like the last meal given to a prisoner before they are hanged and this includes a visit to a brothel run by Lucy Punch, breaking into a Pharmacy and …
Rating of
2.5/4
Rust never sleeps
Lee - wrote on 02/03/2013
When i had seen the trailer for this not too long ago i got thinking that this movie reminded me of another film that was made in 2000 starring Burt Reyolds that i enjoyed immensly called The Crew where a bunch of old mobsters get together for one last job. Was sure that this was another story similar to that but it was in fact much different. Al Pacino gets out of jail after doing a 28 yr time sentence only to find out that his best buddy in the world Christopher Walken has recieved a job to take him out. Knowing this doesnt stop them for having one more fling ding of a night out. They pick up ailing buddy number 3 Alan Arkin and then devulge in as much sin in one night that the three could ever imagine. I laughed quite a few times during this but it turned out to be a quite a good …
Rating of
2/4
lastonetoleave - wrote on 02/02/2013
Stand Up Guys (2013) Val (Al Pacino) has just gotten out of the pen after 28 years. His best friend, Doc (Christopher Walken), picks him up when Val is released. The former mob guys go out to celebrate like it’s going to be their last night on the planet. And, since Doc has been given orders by the local mob boss to kill Val, it could be their last night on the planet. I enjoyed watching Walken and Pacino act together, but this film feels like it just one long excuse to put the two on-screen together. Only when the getaway driver, Hirsch (Alan Arkin), shows up, does the film get a little life in its plot; otherwise, it's just a very long dialogue between two old hit men. Only diehard fans of Pacino and Walken will enjoy this film. For the rest of us, the film is just a little too …
Rating of
2/4
Stand Up Guys
Ichabod Crane - wrote on 01/23/2013
This is a film about two old criminals who get back together, and try to have a good time even though one of them has been ordered to kill the other. The film seems like it could the basis of an interesting story sort of a old guys version of In Bruges. The problem is it is not In Bruges, in fact it is not even close to In Bruges. The problem here almost entirely is the script, and the direction. The film is shown in a rather flat fashion, which fits the script which falls rather flat as well. The jokes simply just don't work that well, and the attempts at heavier drama just seem haphazard.
There are desent things about the film though. The cast is a good one with Al Pacino and Alan Arkin giving okay performances, and Walken giving a pretty good one. Unfortunately any good they do is …
