‘Going in Style’ on HBO: The Proud “Elderly Adventures” Genre Lives On

The pedigree behind the old-guys-pull-off-a-heist movie Going in Style is incredible. Directed by Zach Braff from a script written by Theodore Melfi, remaking a 1979 movie directed by Martin Brest. Yes, the director of Garden State and the writer/director of St. Vincent remaking a movie by the director of Gigli. What could go wrong?

(I am of course being deliberately obtuse. Martin Brest directed Beverly Hills Cop and Midnight Run.)

But I’m not talking about the pedigree of the filmmakers. I’m talking about the pedigree of the cast. Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Alan Arkin stepped into the roles played by George Burns, Art Carney, and Lee Strasberg. I suppose the answer for “How do you cast the roles of two Oscar winners and one of the great acting teachers of all time” is to cast Oscar winners Freeman and Arkin and two-time Oscar winner Michael Caine. This is an incredibly accomplished cast.

To mark the occasion of Going in Style hitting HBO Go, we thought we’d take a look at our favorite “old people go on an adventure” movies. Have yourselves a film festival!

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Movie: Last Vegas
Year: 2013
Starring: Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline
Oscar Nominations Among Entire Cast: 16, with 7 wins
Adventure: A Vegas bachelor party for their last remaining single friend (Douglas).
Token Lady: Mary Steebnburgen
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 45%
Where to Stream: Amazon Video and iTunes

Movie: Space Cowboys
Year: 2000
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, James Garner
Oscar Nominations Among Entire Cast: 19, with 6 wins, plus Eastwood’s Irving G. Thalburg Award
Adventure: Going to outer space to rescue a failing satellite
Token Lady: Marcia Gay Harden
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%
Where to Stream: Amazon Video and iTunes

Movie: The Bucket List
Year: 2007
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman
Oscar Nominations Among Entire Cast: 17, with 4 wins
Adventure: A road trip to accomplish a list of things they’ve always wanted to do before they die.
Token Lady: Kind of no one
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 40%
Where to Stream: Amazon Video and iTunes

Movie: Coccoon
Year: 1985
Starring: Wilford Brimley, Don Ameche, Hume Cronyn
Oscar Nominations Among Entire Cast: 9, with 3 wins
Adventure: Save the aliens whose pods have given them renewed health and youth.
Non-Token Ladies: Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, Gwen Verdon
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

Movie: Going in Style
Year: 2017
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin
Oscar Nominations Among Entire Cast: 18, with 3 wins
Adventure: Rob a bank in retribution for their pensions being cancelled.
Token Lady: Ann-Margret
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 48%

Where to stream Going in Style