Stand Up Guys: They may be oldies, but they’re still goodies

Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin and Al Pacino are oldies but goodies. They’re veteran actors who aren’t beyond taking roles in small, independent films that have little change of turning into box office hits. And they do a decent enough job in Stand Up Guys, a rather rote dark comedy from writer-director Fisher Stevens (Crazy Love, Just a Kiss) that has a certain charm, even if it’s ultimately a little underwhelming.

Pacino plays Val, a criminal who’s just spent 28 years in the joint because he refused to rat out his friends. Upon his release, he immediately hooks up with his old pal Doc (Walken) and makes it clear that he’s ready to “party.” Although Doc has settled down quite a bit, he caters to Val’s request and takes him to the local brothel. That enables Val to work out some of his aggression but also results in a bit of a medical emergency after he pops too much Viagra to get the job done. Doc and Val then pick up their old pal Richard (Alan Arkin) from a retirement home — he’s the guy that always drove the getaway car when they pulling heists — and it’s on. The three rip through town like a trio of trouble-making twenty-somethings and create a fair amount of mayhem in a short amount of time as Richard knocks an item off his bucket list and they all help a damsel in distress get revenge on a bunch of guys who gave her a hard time.

The script isn’t anything novel but the actors do their best to deliver their respective one-liners with the excellent timing for which they are known. They have great chemistry and give the film a lot of character and a little heart, even when the plot hits some lulls. Jon Bon Jovi’s Dylan-like songs also add to the film’s atmosphere and give it the kind of poignancy that it strives for but doesn’t quite achieve. And when compared to the other “aging actor” vehicles currently out (think The Last Stand and Bullet to the Head), Stand Up Guys rises way above.