'Going In Style' Hits Its Mark With High Jinks And Humor

There's something to be said about a heist movie where the average age of the criminals is well above fifty. Especially when said heist movie has a training/preparation montage just as if that were not the case. However, Going In Style (a remake of the 1979 film of the same name) hits every mark as a part-feel-good-part-semi-action film.

Some of the plot points are a bit predictable, whether due to it being a remake of an older film or just the genre itself is uncertain, but it's so obvious that the cast had fun creating the movie that it just doesn't seem to matter.

The three leads (Caine, Freeman and Arkin) play off each other so well that their banter and sarcasm seem perfectly natural and lived-in. Arkin's gruffness occasionally seems like the standard grumpy-old-guy stereotype but is balanced out by the softer and warmer sides of Freeman and Caine's characters.

The film is not exactly what you'd expect when discovering it's directed by Scrubs' Zach Braff, but it's a joy to watch. When your stars are three of the biggest, and longest-lasting, names in the film world, it's hard to go wrong. The trajectory is predictable but in the best way, and there are a few moments where the plot takes a slight detour that keeps it from growing stale.

The underlying message of this almost carefree, hour-and-a-half movie is one that will probably hit home for many, about how the older members of society are being taken care of by their previous employers and the government. It's almost heartwrenching at times as we see issues like Freeman's character being unable to visit his family or Caine's family being threatened with the loss of their home.

While this may not be a must-see in cinemas for most people, it shouldn't be written off by any means. Just because you think you know how it ends doesn't mean you shouldn't go along for the ride.