Too Old to Die Young: Season 1

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Mixed or average reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 43 Ratings

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7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 43 Ratings

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Too Old To Die Young

Now Playing: Too Old To Die Young

Season Details & Credits

Prime Video | AMAZON | Season Premiere Date: June 14, 2019

Summary: The crime drama co-written by Ed Brubaker and Nicolas Winding Refn follows police officer Martin (Miles Teller) as he searches for the man who shot his partner and finds himself in Los Angeles' underworld that includes hit men and assassins associated with the Mexican cartel, local teen gangs, the Russian mafia, or the Yakuza.

Genre(s): Drama, Suspense

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Season 1 Episodes

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Critic Reviews

Liam Mathews

Jun 14, 2019

In the two episodes screened for critics, we learn almost nothing about Martin, who Teller plays with taciturn menace. Teller is nonetheless riveting. ... Too Old to Die Young is extremely not for everyone, and some people are going to really hate it, while others are going to think it's brilliant. [Prime Video only screened episodes 4 and 5] Read full review

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Jun 14, 2019

Scenes go on FOREVER, to the point that they either become mesmerizing or stultifying. I fell more on the former side but wouldn’t question anyone who considers this the dullest thing streaming this year. ... All of this means that “Too Old to Die Young” is unlike anything else you’ll see on TV this year. Television is still largely a writer’s medium, and so it’s fascinating to see something that is so clearly and distinctly the product of a director’s unique vision. [Prime Video only screened episodes 4 and 5] Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Dec 4, 2019

This is a story about sexual violence and the misogynist spectacle is uncomfortable, although arguably part of the point. It could be that Jena Malone, glimpsed here at any early stage, will have a greater part to play. Too Old To Die Young is macabre, and nauseating in many ways, but very well made and very watchable. Read full review

IndieWire Eric Kohn

Jun 14, 2019

Viewed as a single unit, the episodes were a mixed bag of self-serious storytelling and pulpy action, with whispery exchanges that drag on for minutes at a time, set against Refn’s standard subterranean vision of an ominous modern-day Los Angeles. [Prime Video only screened episodes 4 and 5] Read full review

David Fear

Jun 18, 2019

[A] limping, baggy megillah, which fails to justify its marathon-length running time as anything more than a self-satisfying, hardboiled-by-numbers folly. Read full review

Daniel D'Addario

Jun 14, 2019

Aesthetic is all “Too Old to Die Young” has to boast. ... Jumping in around the series’s midpoint, [Martin Jones' (Miles Teller)] decisions and relationships seemed random, emphasizing the degree to which the show’s bits of mythologizing and its gratuitousness spring from the clear blue sky. [Prime Video only screened episodes 4 and 5] Read full review

David Rooney

Jun 14, 2019

Stylishly crafted but stultifyingly dull. ... Jesus had better be some kind of savior if Too Old to Die Young is going to be more than just a ponderously portentous sleazefest shaken out of its torpor by the occasional bloodbath. [Prime Video only screened episodes 4 and 5] Read full review

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invein

Jun 20, 2019

Fans of Refn and/or Brubaker will not be disappointed as both creators influence is very apparent in this 15h downward spiral into the heart of darkness. Brubakers harsh, disturbing and surprising writing certainly shines through. The scenes and characters often feel like they would belongFans of Refn and/or Brubaker will not be disappointed as both creators influence is very apparent in this 15h downward spiral into the heart of darkness. Brubakers harsh, disturbing and surprising writing certainly shines through. The scenes and characters often feel like they would belong in the world of his Criminal-Series. The slow pacing/long shots and grading add to the graphic-novel vibe, similar to looking at Sean Phillips artwork, frame by frame so you can admire the mood and darkness he puts into his drawings. Refn's neo(n)-noir aesthetics are just a perfect match. If you are not familiar with the creators and their work, be aware that the show is not only very slow paced, but also very disturbing. Brutal torture, physically and verbally as well as some very bleak moments, that will probably haunt me a while – almost every episode is an atrocity-masterclass. My only complaints about the show are, that they often used CGI blood (a minor mishap but noticeable and immersion breaking none the less) and some supernatural elements, that kinda felt out of place for a serious show like this. Aside from that, there is nothing I did not like about this show. It's one of the boldest achievements in modern "television", a tour de force of blood, sex and bleak neon-colored images. Now critics may disagree with me on this, it's one of those shows you either love or hate. But you still have to admire the work that went into this behemoth of show.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

jgedak

Jun 23, 2019

One of the most awkward, unsettling, disturbing show's I've ever seen--but sooooo well done!

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

stk35054

Jun 25, 2019

Subversive? I don't know if neo-noir, dirty cops and Mexican drug cartels were mixed for the purposes of rolling cigarettes into their figurative shirt sleeve. As for the stagnant camera frames, I believe they are intended to achieve two things, capture imagery photographically and disquietSubversive? I don't know if neo-noir, dirty cops and Mexican drug cartels were mixed for the purposes of rolling cigarettes into their figurative shirt sleeve. As for the stagnant camera frames, I believe they are intended to achieve two things, capture imagery photographically and disquiet and re-quiet the audience--the freneticism of audiences silenced by the inaction of the filmmaker. These episodes no doubt suffer from absurdity but if anything they do not over-rely on dialogue.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Bertaut1

Jul 1, 2021

I loved it, but this is the definition of "not for everyone"

Created by Nicolas Winding Refn and Ed Brubaker, and directed by Refn, Too Old To Die Young is Refn sans restrictions. If you thought Only God Forgives was slow and plodding, all style and no substance, and pretentiouslyI loved it, but this is the definition of "not for everyone"

Created by Nicolas Winding Refn and Ed Brubaker, and directed by Refn, Too Old To Die Young is Refn sans restrictions. If you thought Only God Forgives was slow and plodding, all style and no substance, and pretentiously self-indulgent, then TOTDY is not for you. Running for 13 hours across the course of 10 episodes, Refn regards it as "a 13-hour movie" and insists that it is not a television show. Either way, I loved it. The aesthetic is exceptional, the quirks are pure surrealism, the humour is spot on, the violence (particularly the sexual violence) is sudden and barbaric, but never gratuitous or pointless, and the themes are fascinating. This isn't going to turn a single person into a Refn fan. Indeed, it will probably alienate some of his more casual fans, as it tests the limits of what even the most artistically open-minded viewer will watch on their television screens. That said, if you're on-board, you're in for an unforgettable ride.

Martin Jones (Miles Teller) and his partner Larry (Lance Gross) are two uniformed LA cops on patrol. After sexually harassing and extorting a young woman because he can, Larry is taking a selfie for his mistress, when Jesus Rojas (an exceptional Augusto Aguilera) shoots him in the back of the head. And from that opening scene springs the story, which introduces us to local crime boss Damian (Babs Olusanmokun), Martin's 18-year-old girlfriend Janey (Nell Tiger Free), her billionaire father Theo (a completely insane William Baldwin), former FBI agent Viggo Larsen (John Hawkes), his associate Diana (Jena Malone), and Yaritza (a stunning, scene-stealing Cristina Rodlo), a young woman with a penchant for sexual domination who claims to be the High Priestess of Death.

The most obvious aesthetic elements of the show are the cinematography by Darius Khondji and Diego García and the editing by Matthew Newman. The first episode, and several of the later episodes, are bathed in neon, with vibrant reds, purples, oranges, blues, and greens saturating the screen. The second episode then is set in Mexico and is a complete contrast to the first, almost over-exposed, with whites popping and bleeding into any nearby blacks.

Additionally, every shot feels deliberate, meticulously composed, important, like every element of the composition is saying something of significance; for example, whether the camera moves or not offers a commentary on the content of the scene. And scenes go on for a loooooong time; most run at least two beats beyond where the natural end would seem to be, with long silences and languidly-paced, emotionlessly delivered dialogue. This all creates a sense of extreme awkwardness that makes the viewer restless and uncomfortable, which, of course, is precisely the point. This lethargic sense is helped immensely by the editing, which is almost imperceptible. It feels like the show was edited before it was shot; every cut feels measured, happening where it does because that's the only place it could happen. I'd be shocked to learn that a lot of coverage was shot to be assembled in the editing room later; it's too tight for that. Coupled with this, the sound design by Paul Hackner is unique. For interiors, there is often no ambient room noise and because there are such long pauses in the dialogue, the silence is oppressive. It has the effect of suggesting the characters aren't in the room, making it feel almost ethereal and hypnotic.

And what is all of this in service of? What is Refn saying? The main theme is very straightforward – toxic masculinity and the commodification of the female, in particular the sexual commodification. TOTDY is a show wherein many of the female characters are looked upon by men as objects to be used rather than as people with their own agency. In one particular scene, a porn director washes down a young woman with a hose, the way one might wash down a horse after a race. When the show begins, it seems to commit the same sin, as none of the females have much in the way of vibrancy, and all are defined based upon their relationships with men. It's only as the characters of Diana, Janey, and Yaritza assume centre stage that we realise this isn't a show about men. Paedophiles, racists, misogynists, murderers, people traffickers, a father who unashamedly hints at incest – it's quite a collective of male bottom feeders to pitch against the female characters.

All in all, I loved the show. But there's no denying that the very things which some people embrace and celebrate, will drive others up the wall. And certainly, it's not hard to imagine a hell of a lot of people watching for 20 minutes before hastily changing the channel and deeming the whole enterprise the "worst show ever." Amazon has allowed Refn to indulge in everything that his detractors criticise and his fans laud, and the result is either a travesty or masterpiece, depending on your perspective.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MarshallCavalli

Aug 15, 2019

Refn's attempt at a series isn't as great as he thinks it is. The writing is pretentious and obnoxious with no purpose and there are episode that have nothing to do with the rest of the show. Just don't watch it.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

NikitaKuzhel

Jul 7, 2019

Еще до выхода "Слишком стар, что бы умереть молодым", многие пророчили, что творческая свобода и хронометраж в 13 часов позволят Рёфну разгуляться на всю катушку, так что амбиций было много. Лично я считаю, что сериал получился крайне слабым не потому, что ожидания были велики и оказались неЕще до выхода "Слишком стар, что бы умереть молодым", многие пророчили, что творческая свобода и хронометраж в 13 часов позволят Рёфну разгуляться на всю катушку, так что амбиций было много. Лично я считаю, что сериал получился крайне слабым не потому, что ожидания были велики и оказались не оправданы, а потому что Рёфн так и не придумал, зачем растягивать довольно простую и, что самое важное абсолютно не насыщенную действиями историю на 13 часов.

Во-первых, стоит отметить, что дерзкий и необычный подход, если и не оправдывает себя, то хотя бы говорит о себе своей дерзостью, что запоминается. Сериал имеет структуру фильма, который просто нарезали на 10 частей, то есть, допустим, завязка расположилась аж на первых 4 сериях и не одна серия не закончится клиффхэнгером. Вот только такой подход абсолютно не оправдан и вызывает лишь раздражение, ведь самое тяжелое это вытерпеть первые 4 эпизода.

А вот во-вторых, мы натыкаемся на то, что для 13 часов тут очень мало чего происходит, тот же Твин Пикс: Возвращение имел схожую структуру, но был настолько насыщен разного рода действиями, что не давал заскучать. Тут же атмосфера медитативности выглядит как издевка, ведь когда персонажи делают паузы по 5-10 секунд, что бы сказать "ОК" или "Ладно" это только вгоняет в скуку и рушит всю атмосферу. Да и визуально тут скучно, что абсолютно губительно для такого рода повествования. Очень много статичных и ничем не примечательных кадров, конечно достаточно кадров и красивых, только вот смотреть на них 1-3 часа еще интересно, но только не 13. Да, определенно моментами сериал интересен, именно тогда, когда что-то происходит, особенно 6 эпизод, где почти всю серию мы наблюдаем за конкретными действиями.

Сюжет же интригует по началу, ведь очень сложно разобраться что к чему, вот только к финалу, тебе настолько сильно разжевывают посыл, как будто держат за круглого идиота и финал получился откровенно не интересный и ни о чем.

По итогу тратить на это время я бы советовал только истинным фанатам датского режиссера, остальным советую проходить мимо.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

generousreviewe

Jul 29, 2019

Don't let the poor pacing distract you from the poor everything else.

What to praise in a show like this? The costuming? The guy who held the boom mic? Surely someone involved was doing good work, but whoever they were, they certainly didn't have any creative control.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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Seasons & Episodes

55

Series Overview
Season 1

55
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: June 14, 2019
- No episode information is currently available for this season