A stand up guy is defined as someone who refuses to rat out the Family no matter what the pressure, offer, or threat. It is an apt title for this little film that decides at the onset to remain small. It does offer some of our favorite aging actors the opportunity to redefine friendship in a very tender and warm manner. Is it s a great movie? No, not really, but is it worth watching for the joy of seeing Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin join talents – most definitely 'yes.'
Valentino/'Val' (Al Pacino) is an old school, small time, two-bit crook who took the fall for a botched robbery 28 years prior. Being a "Stand up guy", Val did his time and kept his mouth shut, and never revealed any information with regards to the crime; he didn't cop a plea, rat out his friends, and he was tried and sentenced to the full extent of the law. Val's best friend and cohort in crime is Doc (Christopher Walken). While in prison and even now as Val prepares to be reintegrated back into society, Doc has always been there for Val. However, Doc has a heavy burden weighing on his conscious. It seems that during all the gunfire shot amid the botched robbery, Val inadvertently shot and killed the only son of the crime syndicates Boss, Claphands (Mark Margolis). Claphands has waited 28 long years for retribution; and Doc has been ordered to execute the hit on Val, and he only has 24 hours to complete the task or suffer repercussions himself for noncompliance.
In the interim 24 hours we meet the lovely waitress Alex (Addison Timlin) who happens to be Doc's granddaughter, the third member of the old gang Hirsch (Alan Arkin) whom Val and Doc rescue from a rest home to spend the night at a brothel run by Wendy (Lucy Punch), Val's experience with impotence at the brothel that leads him to overdose on Viagra he and Doc steal from a pharmacy and that leads to Val's priapism that requires aspiration in a hospital attended by Nina Hirsch (Julianna Margulies) who is Hirsh's daughter, and a final encounter with the thugs of Claphands and Claphands himself as the 24 hour deadline approaches.
It is all great fun and even more important is the expression of the bond of friendship between Val and Doc, and with Hirsch. Yes the script gets off key at times but this is not meant to be a major gangster film. This is a tale about friendship and loyalty in a crime setting that has just happened to age – not unlike the actors. Grady Harp, May 13
Valentino/'Val' (Al Pacino) is an old school, small time, two-bit crook who took the fall for a botched robbery 28 years prior. Being a "Stand up guy", Val did his time and kept his mouth shut, and never revealed any information with regards to the crime; he didn't cop a plea, rat out his friends, and he was tried and sentenced to the full extent of the law. Val's best friend and cohort in crime is Doc (Christopher Walken). While in prison and even now as Val prepares to be reintegrated back into society, Doc has always been there for Val. However, Doc has a heavy burden weighing on his conscious. It seems that during all the gunfire shot amid the botched robbery, Val inadvertently shot and killed the only son of the crime syndicates Boss, Claphands (Mark Margolis). Claphands has waited 28 long years for retribution; and Doc has been ordered to execute the hit on Val, and he only has 24 hours to complete the task or suffer repercussions himself for noncompliance.
In the interim 24 hours we meet the lovely waitress Alex (Addison Timlin) who happens to be Doc's granddaughter, the third member of the old gang Hirsch (Alan Arkin) whom Val and Doc rescue from a rest home to spend the night at a brothel run by Wendy (Lucy Punch), Val's experience with impotence at the brothel that leads him to overdose on Viagra he and Doc steal from a pharmacy and that leads to Val's priapism that requires aspiration in a hospital attended by Nina Hirsch (Julianna Margulies) who is Hirsh's daughter, and a final encounter with the thugs of Claphands and Claphands himself as the 24 hour deadline approaches.
It is all great fun and even more important is the expression of the bond of friendship between Val and Doc, and with Hirsch. Yes the script gets off key at times but this is not meant to be a major gangster film. This is a tale about friendship and loyalty in a crime setting that has just happened to age – not unlike the actors. Grady Harp, May 13