Simon West and Greg Johnson attempt to put a fresh spin on the Grumpy Veteran versus Fresh-Faced Rookie trope in “Old Guy”, but unintentionally create a film that lacks in both entertainment and emotional impact. The movie portrays Danny Dolinski (Christoph Waltz), a seasoned assassin, and his young protege, Wihlborg (Cooper Hoffman) in a comedy-action mashup that disappointingly falls flat.
Despite a promising premise, the movie fails to deliver a cohesive, engaging narrative. The characters' personalities and history are underdeveloped, leading to inconsistencies in their behavior that detract from the plot. The comedy falls short, as the filmmakers seemingly struggle to extract humor from the situations the characters find themselves in. The banter, despite the talent of the cast, never lifts off due to the lackluster dialogues and the mediocre direction. The roles crafted for the actors lack depth and gravitas, turning the interactions caustic rather than amusing.
Despite the best effort of the actors to elevate their characters, they end up falling into gender and generational clichés. The action sequences present the bare minimum required to progress the plot, with no thought given to visual impact or dynamism. The film's pacing is mishandled, and any attempt at character-building is glossed over, leaving audience with unrelatable, hollow characters.
The film’s music fails to provide a cohesive identity, oscillating between a comedy and a spy flick. Far from reaching the heights of classic contract-killer movies like "In Bruges" or "Grosse Point Blank," the film fails to offer anything fresh or reinvigorating to the genre. Wrapping up, “Old Guy” is an example of a good idea disastrously executed, a movie in desperate need of a lifeline.
