The Old Man & the Gun (2018) – Crime/Drama

Directed by David Lowery, The Old Man & the Gun tells the true story of Forrest Tucker, a lifelong bank robber and escape artist who, well into his seventies, continued his audacious spree with charm and style. Robert Redford, in what he announced as his final screen role, delivers a magnetic performance that blends wit, grace, and quiet melancholy, transforming Tucker into more than a criminal—he becomes a legend defined by purpose and persistence.

Set in the early 1980s, the film follows Tucker’s polite yet daring heists across the country, which capture the attention of Detective John Hunt (Casey Affleck). Rather than a standard cat-and-mouse chase, their relationship is built on mutual fascination and respect. Hunt admires Tucker’s unwavering dedication, even as he works to bring him down. Meanwhile, Tucker finds an unlikely companion in Jewel (Sissy Spacek), whose warmth provides a tender counterpoint to his restless life of crime.

Cinematographer Joe Anderson gives the film a nostalgic glow, evoking the feel of 1970s cinema. Its tone is leisurely, reflective, and tinged with humor, capturing the duality of Tucker’s life—one lived between joy and consequence. Redford insisted on performing much of the physical work himself, grounding the character in authenticity and lending the role an almost autobiographical quality.

The film’s most memorable moments—like Tucker’s calm improvisation during robberies or a montage of his many prison escapes—highlight both his ingenuity and the inevitability of his fate. Yet, it’s the film’s quieter moments, particularly Tucker’s scenes with Jewel, that reveal the vulnerability beneath the myth.

The Old Man & the Gun is both a fitting farewell to Redford’s acting career and a meditation on identity, passion, and legacy. Like Forrest Tucker, Redford leaves us with the sense that some people are defined not by when they stop, but by how joyfully they keep going.