 adapted from david grann s new yorker article the old man and the gun tells the story of forrest tucker the selfstyled houdini whose many audacious prison breaks included an alcatraz flight in a homemade kayak and whose last robbery was committed when he was 79 focussing on tucker s crimespree with his geriatric band of brothers the overthehillgang who long evaded both the fbi and an increasingly frustrated detective john hunt casey affleck this is a brilliantly entertaining crime caper redford is at his screenlegend best as the silver fox exuding nuclearwatt charisma he s recently announced his retirement as a swan song it s a sweetly melodious one most delectable are the scenes in which he woos jewel sissy spacek with a swooninducing chemistry as sparks crackle between the two infused with a passion for the classic american independent cinema of redford and spacek s generation joe anderson s luscious 16mm photography delivers rapturous period camera flourishes while a montage of forrest s lifelong exploits poignantly references old redford movies offering bittersweet reflections on time and age jewel observes this is the last time i ll ever have the chance to do whatever the old man and the gun is a testament to a freespirit who steadfastly refused to go quietly david lowery bfi london film festival 