Tough Guys (1986)
*** (out of 4)
Lifelong friends Harry Doyle (Burt Lancaster) and Archie Long (Kirk Douglas) are being released from prison after thirty-years. They were in there for the last train robbery in American history but once on the outside they find that times have changed. They find it hard fitting in with the current world so that's when Archie gets the idea of robbing the train one last time.
If you're looking for a hard-hitting drama or some sort of nasty comedy then TOUGH GUYS certainly won't be for you. I'm really not sure why this film has gotten so many negative reviews. Look, I'll admit that this isn't a masterpiece or a classic but at the same time it's great getting to see Lancaster and Douglas working together. It's not like they were given countless great roles later in their careers so getting to see them having some fun together makes this movie worth watching.
As far as the comedy goes, I thought a lot of it was rather funny. Yes, the story is pretty simple and the basic gag is having these two old men walking around and having to deal with "young" people. A lot of these situations are quite funny thanks to the two actors being good sports about it. There's the scene where Douglas enters a gay bar not knowing it. There are a couple other scenes where Douglas has to battle people at his pathetic jobs. With Lancaster, he plays it more straight and this includes a relationship with an old fling (Alexis Smith) of his.
The reason to watch this movie is for the actors. Lancaster and Douglas have a wonderful chemistry together and they have no problem fitting these roles. The two of them play well off of each other and they certainly add a lot of charm to the film. Charles Durning is the cop who originally brought him down and he too has some nice scenes with the boys. Dana Carvey is fun in his supporting role as is Smith. Eli Wallach plays a nutbag trying to kill the boys and he too adds a lot of fun.
TOUGH GUYS isn't a masterpiece and there's no question that it overstays its welcome with the extended running time. With that said, if you're a fan of the veteran cast then you'll certainly get a kick out of the film.
