R | 1h 44m | Action, Comedy | 2025
With origins that date back nearly a century, the “buddy film” has been one of the most durable and dependable of all movie staples. Most of the time, it’s a subgenre of adventure and comedy. In the genre, two people (male or female) are on a mission or a road trip, typically with contrasting personalities.
At Different Career Points
Dolinsky (Christoph Waltz) and Wihlborg (Cooper Hoffman) are professional assassins at different points in their careers. Dolinsky is a grizzled vet suffering from arthritis; Wihlborg is a mouthy, sometimes sloppy prodigy. Both men are embarrassingly overconfident and pigheaded.
Opening in London, the movie starts with Dolinsky recovering from a broken wrist. He parties too hard, and because of the pain in his shooting hand, he might be dependent on opioid painkillers. Returning to work, he’s tasked by his boss to observe Wihlborg on a job in Belfast, Ireland, about which he’s more than resentful.
Coup de Grace
The final blow is Dolinsky being told in no uncertain terms that he’s well past his prime and will soon be put out to pasture. Before doing so, he must mentor, train, and critique Wihlborg, something neither man is happy about.
Written by Greg Johnson (“The Last Son”), “Old Guy” was directed by Englishman Simon West. West’s first three features (“Con Air,” “The General’s Daughter,” and “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”) did great at the box office, but weren’t well received by critics. Since 2001, West has directed six features, and all of them save one (“The Expendables 2”) were critical and box office failures.
Misused Liu
For instance, how did Dolinsky break his wrist? Why does Wihlborg paint his fingernails black? Most importantly, why does Lucy Liu’s character (Anata) even exist and why are Liu’s considerable acting talents so underutilized in such a thankless, throwaway role?
Initially presented as a bar manager who looks the other way when Dolinsky raids her drug stash, the Anata character serves little purpose. At first, Wihlborg thinks she and Dolinsky are romantically involved, something each of them emphatically deny, saying they’re “just friends.”
More Good News
Proving that great acting can generally overcome weak writing and directing, the chemistry between Waltz and Hoffman is formidable and generally impressive. It’s unlikely that Hoffman will ever reach the performance heights achieved by his late father (Philip Seymour Hoffman), but he more than holds his own here.Far removed from his nice guy feature debut in “Licorice Pizza,” Hoffman’s Wihlborg exhibits some of his dad’s depth; he plays a character that is eminently watchable despite being an emotionally detached, cold-blooded assassin.
Better on a bad day than most actors are at their best, Waltz’s “age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill” mindset is both inspired and resigned. The fire in Dolinsky’s belly still burns hot, but the rest of his body simply won’t comply. A scene in the third act involving his handling of a testy situation where a youngster is in danger ultimately wins us over. Dolinsky might get paid to kill people, but he has an unwavering moral and ethical code.
“Old Guy” isn’t something you need to rush out and see now. It’s more like a movie you might want to settle on in a few months (or possibly weeks) while stream-surfing on a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon.
