X
- 1986
- PG
- Buena Vista Distribution Company
- 1 h 44 m
- 1986
- PG
- Buena Vista Distribution Company
- 1 h 44 m
Summary Two elderly gangsters are released from prison only to find they have trouble fitting in as old men who still take no guff from anyone.
Directed By: Jeff Kanew
Written By: James Orr, Jim Cruickshank
- 1986
- PG
- Buena Vista Distribution Company
- 1 h 44 m
- 1986
- PG
- Buena Vista Distribution Company
- 1 h 44 m
Tough Guys
54
User Score
Available after 4 ratings
tbd
Summary Two elderly gangsters are released from prison only to find they have trouble fitting in as old men who still take no guff from anyone.
Directed By: Jeff Kanew
Written By: James Orr, Jim Cruickshank
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 11 Critic Reviews
54
36% Positive
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
55% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
9% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 11 Critic Reviews
54
36% Positive
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
55% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
9% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
There are some good laughs and ironic twists in the story, along with a nagging vulgarity. Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas make a terrific team, and director Jeff Kanew gives them free rein to amuse us. [3 Oct 1986, p.23]
The duo carry automatic glamour and nobility and the movie is an elaborate star turn, a chance to see them strutting their stuff one more time.
The director, Jeff Kanew, does not have as steady a hand as the old-timers. What he does have is sense enough to let our memories of all those Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas movies work on us.
Moments of life intrude, particularly with the periodic appearance of Eli Wallach as a superannuated hitman, a truly bizarre performance (he's got a sawed-off shotgun but his eyes are so bad it doesn't matter). And there are times when the sheer vitality of the two stars -- particularly Lancaster, who has not lost a thing -- promises to lift the movie. But it's too flimsy, and we're left with two stars in search of a story. For a while, it's fun watching them hunt. Then it's just a chore. [3 Oct 1986, p.D2]
The movie makes the same mistake as some of the characters in it: It treats these two guys like lovable old characters instead of listening to what they really have to say.
The movie wants to make a serious point that old folks shouldn't be treated as children; the message would be easier to swallow if the moviemakers didn't treat the audience the same way. [20 Oct 1986, p.78b]
You know something's wrong when screen writers James Orr and Jim Cruikshank have to jury-rig a couple of chase plots, involving an over-the-hill hit man (Eli Wallach) and an aging detective (Charles Durning) just to move things along.
User Reviews
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
