Still, “The Old Man” seems comfortable playing into expectations rather than usurping them. Maybe they’re all mixed up in a game where such designations are beyond their control - beyond black and white, beyond right and wrong. “There’s a villain in every story, and maybe that’s why: The only one who can play that role is the one who can’t see it happening.” Their evolving backstory speaks to one of the show’s broader themes, spoken aloud by Brenneman’s reluctant landlord over a very strange dinner date: “Nobody ever sees themselves as ” she says. Dan’s chief adversary - an old ally named Harold Harper who’s now a high-ranking FBI director - is nicely fleshed out and given added emotional heft by Lithgow. The rest of “The Old Man” doesn’t exactly live up to these thrills. Not once is there an obvious movement or cut meant to hide who’s really fighting, which only makes it all the more believable that Dan (and Bridges) can still get it done. No matter how many stunt doubles are snuck in there, it’s great to a) see one of our finest actors alive and literally kicking, and b) have a meta reminder of Dan’s undeniable toughness. Executing a convincing oner is intriguing on its own, but seeing Bridges - who was diagnosed with lymphoma mid-production and is now, thankfully, in remission - pull off each punch is doubly satisfying. Scenes like a lengthy hand-to-hand squabble near the end of the premiere prove compelling. Watts mirrors his star by lulling his audience into a deceptive calm, only to shatter that serenity not with your typical hard cut, but a burst of movement through his established frame.Īmy Brenneman and Jeff Bridges in “The Old Man” Physically, Bridges also plays into people’s under-estimation, shuffling around in small stutters before switching into fight mode with alarming force. Seeing him work in uninterrupted stretches is a pleasure unto itself, but that’s not the only reason Watts lets the camera roll minute after minute. But he knows how to dial in a look with the best of them, prying up his brow with simultaneous alarm and admiration, or narrowing his entire face into an inscrutable glare. ![]() Always easy to watch, the Oscar winner plays Dan with a reserved, cagey demeanor appropriate for a spy on the run. The premiere is built around a series of long takes, some of which simply take advantage of Bridges’ rugged naturalism. Still, given the steady (some may say slow!) pace of director Jon Watts’ two entries, having your suspicions confirmed at every other commercial break helps keep things moving.Ĭhunks of plot are bluntly stated in long stretches of dialogue, but Watts does earn our attention with carefully blocked action. Finding out who Dan is and what Dan’s done is part of the intrigue driving the first few hours, even if the answers are hardly unforeseeable. ![]() For another, he’s ex-CIA and not exactly a welcome presence at Langley reunion parties. Over the first four episodes of the first season, Dan’s history is doled out in batches. He has a particular set of skills, and they haven’t exactly dulled with age. The way Dan dispatches his unknown assailant tells us this is no ordinary widower. An unnamed intruder breaks into his house and sends him on the run. Over the phone, his daughter assures him that he’s fine, things are fine - but when has a parent ever taken such assurances from their kid? He sets up DIY alarms just outside his bedroom. He side-eyes strangers in his small Vermont town. But is he merely getting older, or is some mysterious, undiagnosed ailment to blame? Along with these fears, Dan is getting paranoid. After caring for her throughout a losing battle with Huntington’s Disease, Dan pays close attention to his own mental state. His nights are either interrupted by a persistent bladder, nightmares of his deceased wife, or both. Anything more, well, that’s yet to be seen. These impeccably trained rottweilers are a trick unto themselves - an asset to their master and the show, without a doubt, while also evoking regular responses of, “Aww, now that’s a good dog!” If the simple pleasures of a dude and his dogs roaming America, picking off bad guys, sounds like your desired entertainment, “The Old Man” will provide it. For others, there are also two dogs, played by A+ puppers Dave and Carol, who follow Bridges around wherever he goes. ![]() The Best International Series on Netflix to Watch Right NowĤ5 Great Films Booed at Cannes, from 'L'Avventura' to 'Okja'įor some, such talents could be better utilized in more radical context. Sarah Paulson Was 'Devastated' by the Early Reactions to Her Linda Tripp While Shooting 'Impeachment' ![]() 'The Bear' Review: Ayo Edebiri Catches Fire in FX's Intense Cooking Drama
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