Too many reviews are rating this on their reverence and nostalgia for these great actors and not on the film itself, which, unfortunately is anything but great. It seems Stand Up Guys really, really wants to prove this aging trio can outsmart, outfight and outromance every 30-something or 20-something "kid" they come across. And yet one quickly wonders just who it's trying to prove this to: the audience or itself.
Oh sure, they complain of their aches and pains, and of getting old, and "these darn kids", and yet over and over the message is less about accepting age with grace and more about proving they can still turn back the clock at will for one last hurrah, often crossing the line into cringe in the process. For example, a scene where a scraggly, shambling Pacino convinces a statuesque young woman to dance with him in a bar is simultaneously unbelievable and creepy, but the film seems to say that since it's Pacino, "just go with it".
Meanwhile, every character under age 40 is either a caricature or two dimensional cardboard cutout that exists solely to cater to and react to this trio as if they're still the center of the universe. Some of the supporting cast seem to stand around grinning stupidly, as if they're just overjoyed to be sharing the screen with these greats. The plot and much of the dialog likewise take a back seat because "Pacino! Walken! Arkin! What more do you need?"
Do yourself (and these actors) a favor and skip this one.
Oh sure, they complain of their aches and pains, and of getting old, and "these darn kids", and yet over and over the message is less about accepting age with grace and more about proving they can still turn back the clock at will for one last hurrah, often crossing the line into cringe in the process. For example, a scene where a scraggly, shambling Pacino convinces a statuesque young woman to dance with him in a bar is simultaneously unbelievable and creepy, but the film seems to say that since it's Pacino, "just go with it".
Meanwhile, every character under age 40 is either a caricature or two dimensional cardboard cutout that exists solely to cater to and react to this trio as if they're still the center of the universe. Some of the supporting cast seem to stand around grinning stupidly, as if they're just overjoyed to be sharing the screen with these greats. The plot and much of the dialog likewise take a back seat because "Pacino! Walken! Arkin! What more do you need?"
Do yourself (and these actors) a favor and skip this one.