Sadly Over-hyped

Nice effects though.

Just perfect...

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Director Jeff Kanew's crime comedy "Tough Guys" gave Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas the big-send-off. This constituted their final film together as co-stars. Previously, these two Hollywood titans had appeared in "I Walk Alone" (1948), "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (1957), "The Devil's Disciple" (1959), "The List of Adrian Messenger" (1963), "Seven Days in May" (1964), and the made-for-television thriller "Victory at Entebbe" (1976). Comparatively, "Tough Guys" surpasses "The List of Adrian Messenger" and "Victory at Entebbe." Lancaster and Douglas were cast as two old-time convicts who spent 30 years in prison for robbing a train and ultimately received parole. Life has changed substantially for 72 year old Harry Doyle and 67 year old Archie Long. They have been cell mates for three decades, and they weren't exactly ecstatic about that. Now that they are on the outside, they find it increasingly difficult to fit into society. Harry is sent to a retirement home in a large building where a physically fit man bullies the oldsters with a smile. Harry spearheads an uprising to obtain better food for the residents. Meanwhile, physically fit Archie hits Los Angeles running and survives things until he cannot take it anymore. He moves in with a gym manager, but her sexual demands and the clownish outfits that he must wear turn him off. At the same time that our heroes are struggling to blend into society, the cop who arrested them, Deke Yablonski (Charles Durning of "Sharky's Machine"), suspects that 30 years behind bars hasn't rehabilitated them. Sadly, Yablonski is right. The old guys turn back to a life of crime, and they hijack the same train that they robbed back in the old days. Lancaster and Douglas still have some charisma, especially Douglas who moons Yablonski from the top of a moving train during the finale. Happily, Jeff Kanew doesn't wear out his welcome, and reportedly the movie made enough to break even and get the two faded stars about a million each in their pockets. The scene in the old folks home when Harry leads the protest against the inadequate food is reminiscent of "White Heat." Eli Wallach has supporting role as a bespectacled hit-man who has waited 30 years to carry out a contract on our protagonists. Of course, if you're as big a fan of Lancaster and Douglas as I am, you will have to see it. . One of the reoccurring gags appears to have been appropriated from William Goldman's "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" screenplay about rules in a fight. Mind you, "Tough Guys" isn't great, but it was fine to see these two kicking butt and taking names.

I have been a longtime favorite of these actors. My favorite Kirk Douglas films: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Lust For Life(1956) and Spartacus(1960), Burt Lancaster: On Wings of Eagles (1986) and Eli Wallach: The Good The Bad And The Ugly (1966).Watch these films if you haven't yet. Back to this film the film concerns two crooks Harry Doyle (Lancaster) and Archie Long (Douglas), have botched a hijack on Southern Pacific train called The Gold Coast Flyer, ready to collect Social Security. They get thirty years imprisonment. Upon their release, they find the world has changed from 1956 to 1986—clothing, sexual lifestyles (their favorite bar is now a gay club for men), lack of respect from the younger generation, and the advance of technology.To put matters worse, Leon B. Little (Eli Wallach), an elderly hit man with bad eyesight who still has an outstanding contract on them, immediately tries kill them on many occasions without any success. It is good to mention here that Eli Wallach's character is the comic relief of the film. Comedy has always been his forte.Harry is too old for work - he is put in a retirement home where he reconnects with an old flame named Belle (Alexis Smith), and reminisces about old times. Archie, still allowed to work at age 67, takes a job at an ice cream parlor and later a restaurant. They are told not to have further contact with each other for at least three years. Archie then embraces the contemporary scene, listening to new wave music, asking out a much younger woman, Skye (Darlanne Fluegel), and dressing in faddish clothes. Though both their relationships go well, neither Archie nor Harry seems to fit in society anymore.Tired of trying to adjust, Harry and Archie go back to their old ways. What happens next to for you to see and find out. More comedy films you may like: Ruthless People (1986), Soul Man (1986), Planes Trains & Automobiles (1987).

There was an emphasis on making buddy movies in the 80's and Disney under the Touchstone banner was probably one of the biggest contributors to this genre in that decade. Not only did they make this film but also Stakeout and the very poor, even though it was a minor hit, Outrageous Fortune.Here we have Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster. Although, Kirk Douglas is given first credit, the emphasis is on Burt Lancaster's character, Harry Doyle. As a man who has been in prison for most of his adult life and is getting old, you could go a lot of directions with the character. Lancaster plays it beautifully and never once do you think that he is playing it for laughs as I'm sure many lesser talents would do. Kirk Douglas on the other hand is given less to play with. A man, who tries to keep up but ultimately is pretty much out of step. He gets a younger girlfriend but the storyline is a bit hackneyed and does not contain one single thing that couldn't be predicted.Meanwhile, Lancaster gets to have some fun with an old flame. Not to say that this story is anymore interesting to see than the Douglas romance but it is sweet.The thing to admire here is Douglas' and Lancaster's dealing with their antagonists which consists of basically everybody they meet, save for the two ladies and one caring probation officer (Dana Carvey in a rare unfunny performance). They seem to take the approach that so what if they have enemies and I can see why. Their foes are made to look pretty ridiculous and absolutely no threat. The great Charles Durning, plays a cop who wants to nail them one more time but not so much because he think they are bad but to prove something to himself. And then as a capper, we get Eli Wallach as a near blind and almost totally insane hit-man. Bravo. This has to be his most funny performance ever. Not for one moment can you take him serious as a hit-man but Douglas and Lancaster, gents as they are, do let him think so.

Two of my favorite icon bad boys, are 'on' for the last 'ride' of their lives. I'm sure that while this one won't bring any awards to these two gentlemen, it is one heck of a good time!! The theme song for the movie "They Don't Make Them Like They Used To" Performed by Kenny Rogers was Nominated for a Golden Globe, however. The aging train robbers, it's so old school that it's totally cool. They argue and challenge each other's decisions, they chase women, they make each other laugh and on-top of that those who appreciate these two fine actors laugh a lot more. I have to say as well, that I enjoyed Dana Carvey (Richie)in this, more than anything else I have ever seen him in. With the other classic actor crowd, you have a who's 'who' of talent that spanned decades before this movie was ever made. As a matter of fact when some of these people were in their hay day, the golden age of Hollywood, the director, "Jeff Kanew" was just a cute little baby then. But I must say, that this director did a terrific job with these professional old schoolers and I'm glad it was him. These 'Tough guys' got it all along with a few bad guys and one old near-sighted hit-man, (played by: Eli Wallach) that has had a contract on these two for over thirty years and he is itching to collect on it. Cause he never 'welches' on a contract. Even when the one who paid for the hit-contract, is dead...for three decades now.With an array of classic songs and some current in the mid-eighties rock and alternative stuff, the mix of style and generations colliding together make the communications and miss-understandings hilarious! The street punk-tough guys never knew what hit them, when these two 'classic' operators got-out-the-joint!! New ghetto, old rules. And if it weren't rough enough that these two 'grampa's' (the gang member referred to Archie and Harry as) knocked these guys confidence down and gave them a little pain to remember them by, leave and then the hit-man who's hot on their trail suddenly shows up and asks the gang members where the two old guys went? The members of the gang remember the 'two' tough guys and think, this one guy is looking for both of them!! They panic! Break and run! After they scattered into their holes, the old hit-man seeing their radio blaring on the fence, shouts "Hey! You forgot your jukebox!!" Then Blasts 'it' (The Boombox-Ghetto Blaster) to bits, with a double barrel Winchester shotgun. Pieces everywhere and then silence, the hit-man squints looking through his 'goggles' and complains about noise pollution. But hey! "Don't let the goggles fool ya, he's a 'Sharp shooter!" That scene is a modern day comedy, 'classic' that I loved from the moment the movie previews were showing the 'coming attractions'. This one really hits the satisfaction zone. I gave it an excellent rating because it is. The thing that offended me was Kirk (or Archie) 'dropped trow' showing his 'bum' when he was on top of the train making his get away, although it was funny and some of the women said, that was 'cute'. But that is just something I don't want to see. The two where sharp dressed men though!Seemingly I don't know too many of their generation that fully appreciate them in this 'role' because I believe that some think that they are lowering themselves by being common criminals. Or maybe it's all the cursing, but I say to those of the golden-age of Hollywood generation, they are not but common criminals, they are extraordinary-train robbers, looking for a final Heist. Charles Durning is a good ambitious detective on their trail, who comes of age to an 'understanding' in the final pursuit. They all (director and actors)'were right on the money' to coin an 'oldism' in putting together a well-aged action adventure hero/villain movie. I especially rolled in laughter at the end, when they crossed the Mexican Border. The 'Federallie's' Captain says: "We got you now." And then immediately Archie starts to 'School' him and his band, in the rules of the game. Then, right afterward, the Federally asks "Play by rules, what rules?"And Archie looks at Harry and then "BoOm!!" right in the jewels.--Uggh! Gentlemen, you made a fan and a believer out of a younger generation guy. cheers!