"Stand Up Guys" is a refreshingly witty gangster comedy that relies on solid acting and screen writing rather than bombastic special effects, over the top violence and explicit sex.
The movie is a dry comedy wetting the soul with laughter. "Stand Up Guys" is sentimental without being sappy and its conflict is sagaciously perplexing. Kill a life long friend in cold blood or have a very dear family member murdered by your foe is quite the conundrum indeed.
Doc portrayed by Christopher Walken picks up his buddy Val; Al Pacino after being in prison for 28-years. Val and Doc catch up on old times with chat, a night on the town complete with hookers, booze and drugs. The two chums then get their friend Hirsch; Alan Arkin out of the old folks home well after 1 a.m. Arkin's arrival in the movie jump starts the plot while adding more flair and comedy to the already funny flick.
Hirsch wants to have a threesome with hooker Nina; Julianna Margulies and the receptionist Wendy; Lucy Punch. When Wendy says she doesn't have sex for money, Val replies, "We won't pay you."
Val, Doc and Hirsch are lovable thugs bent on doing what's right, particularly when they find Sylvia; Vanessa Ferlito naked and in the trunk of a car they have stolen. Turns out Sylvia was gang raped by some serious low lives. Val and his two pals with the aide of Sylvia seek out the guys who raped her for a little pay back visit.
"My favorite ballet was the Nutcracker," Sylvia said to the rapists while yielding a baseball bat.
I can't say much more without giving up the entire story which screen writer Noah Haidle so wonderfully wrote. When the conflict hits its boiling point and the credits roll after the conclusion there is an unlocked window of wonder as to what really went down in the very end.
If you want to see a movie with high-tech special effects, air brushed nude women and gory violence, "Stand Up Guys" is not the movie for you. If you like cunning dialog with adult themes and a smart plot, the movie is a three and a half star gem which is the rating I gave it.
Val, Doc and Hirsch face the uphill battle of time and the dangers of being real gangsters with true heart and humor.
