13 February 2013
Directed by: Fisher Stevens
Starring: Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin and Mark Margolis
What It’s About: A retired mobster has one day to execute a kill order on his best friend who just got out of prison.
Rated R (for language, sexual content, violence and brief drug use)
Runtime: 95 minutes
By Aaron Sanders, Diversions Editor
Much like 2008’s Righteous Kill, which brought together legendary actors Robert De Niro and Al Pacino for the first time since their too-brief scene in Michael Mann’s Heat, Stand Up Guys brings together a trio of seasoned actors, who, with their presence alone, are sure to pique the interest of even the most casual film aficionado.
The plot is fairly straightforward. After a lengthy stint in the slammer, Al Pacino’s Valentine (or Val, as his friends call him) is greeted by his longtime friend and partner in crime Doc (Christopher Walken). Little does Val know, his pal Doc has been assigned the task of “whacking off” the free man as punishment for a job gone wrong twenty-some years prior. Doc is expectedly reluctant to carry out his assignment, so, given the deadline of 10 a.m. the next day, he decides to spend the night with Val as they embark on one final hurrah with their mutual friend Hirsch (Alan Arkin).
Stand Up Guys is about one thing and one thing only: giving Pacino, Walken and Arkin screen-time together. And that seems to be all that director Fisher Stevens was trying to do. The city that the film transpires in is never specified nor are specific dates given. All the viewer knows for sure is that the film takes place within the span of 24 hours. Not only is the setting left ambiguous, which isn’t a bad thing per se, but the script leaves something to be desired. Far too many times did I cringe in my seat to dialogue such as Doc telling the daughter of a friend, “Remember your tenth birthday party? I was there. I threw you up in the air,” to which she replied, “That was you? I remember I felt like I was flying.” Yeah. It’s that bad.
Despite the horrendous dialogue, Stand Up Guys is a ripening experience. One can’t help but feel the wisdom of the seasoned actors secrete from the screen. Just like having a long talk with your granddad. You can’t help but feel an intimate connection to the characters because, like your granddad, Pacino, Walken and Arkin have been around for a pretty long time.
6/10
Courtesy of media.theweek.com