Two-time Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz collaborates with genre director Simon West on “Old Guy,” which The Avenue produces. Greg Jonson writes the screenplay.
When his employer moves to replace the old guard, Danny Dolinski (Waltz) is an aging hitman forced to train a young prodigy, Wihlborg (Cooper Hoffman). Their personalities clash during the training, as Danny is Gen X and Wihlborg is Gen Z. However, Danny soon finds out his new protege is equally deadly, which impresses Danny.
However, when they learn they are being betrayed, the unlikely pair becomes a lethal team – with their double-crossing bosses in sight. Also along for the ride is the unrequited love of Danny’s life, Anata (Lucy Liu)a powerful and impressive woman who has no trouble moving in the same dangerous circles as Danny.
Ever since I watched “The Mechanic” on Betamax in the early eighties as a child, I have always enjoyed the plot trope of a seasoned hitman training a younger character. Ironically, Simon West directed a well-received remake of that film in 2011, starring Jason Statham and Ben Foster. Hitting the play on “Old Guy,” I considered our lead actor’s preference for taking on passion projects and Simon West’s impressive background in directing action films.
Regretfully, though, the film let me down. For starters, the tone is all over the place. The script tries to paint Danny as someone who doesn’t let his age stop him from living his best life, as He still loves to party and hang out with younger people — generally just loving a good time. He’s charming, funny, and easy to get along with. While Waltz is having a good time, the jokes aren’t funny, and the hitman angle doesn’t work.
Cooper Hoffman, who delivered commendable performances in “Licorice Pizza” and “Saturday Night,” is unfortunately miscast in this film. He resembles a tech entrepreneur attempting to embody an assassin. His action sequences lack an organic flow, while Lucy Liu appears to participate merely for a paycheck. Moreover, the portrayal of the unrequited romance between her character and Christoph Waltz fails to resonate.
“Old Guy” also lacks a compelling antagonist; instead, it presents clichéd archetypes that audiences have encountered in numerous comparable productions. Regarding the action sequences, while a few shootout scenes are present, they do not reach the intensity or creativity found in West’s previous works, which may have influenced my expectations.
If the writers had eliminated the assassin angle and made our lead characters radio DJs or hairdressers, the result would have been better, as both leads are capable of better. Sadly, “Old Guy” collapses under its weight.
Final Grade: C-
“Old Guy” is in Theaters and On Digital February 21, 2024
