THE OLD MAN & THE GUN
A portrait of the gentleman thief as an old man.
Should You Watch It?
THE OLD MAN & THE GUN is an entertaining character study with solid performances, led by Robert Redford’s confident, genial presence. Warm scenes involving Bob and Jewel, as well as the detective’s happy family life, give the film some human appeal. There is even a slight homage to The Sting.
The problem is the film’s moral framing. It sympathizes too much with an elderly bank robber who is addicted to stealing, and it presents him as an iconic rebel. The content is comparatively restrained in some areas, but the film still includes strong profanity, gun violence, smoking, and repeated criminal behavior.
For adults who want to see it, watch at home, where you can control the experience and discuss its romanticized view of lawbreaking.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESIn 1981, a cheerful 76-year-old man calling himself Bob robs a small Texas bank. After switching getaway cars, he meets Jewel, an older woman whose car has broken down, and the two begin an unexpected relationship.
Bob continues robbing banks with two elderly friends while a local robbery detective works to identify the group. The media soon gives the aging thieves a memorable nickname, but Bob’s criminal “career” keeps colliding with his new connection to Jewel.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means a worthwhile but limited entertainment. The film is an engaging character study with solid performances from the cast. Redford maintains the confident, genial disposition that made him a movie star, while the warm scenes between Bob and Jewel provide emotional appeal.
The movie also includes family scenes involving the detective, his wife, and their two children. Its slight homage to The Sting adds a pleasant note for viewers familiar with Redford’s work.
The Worldview
The film’s central moral problem is its strong Romantic worldview. It presents an elderly bank robber with a long history of breaking out of prison as a rebel to admire. The detective, who has integrity and a happy family life, begins to sympathize with him even after learning about his repeated escapes and criminal history.
The film includes some moral elements, especially through the detective’s integrity and family life. But those elements are outweighed by the movie’s admiration for Bob’s charm and freedom from the law. His criminal work is treated as part of his identity, and his lack of repentance is not given the weight a biblical view of wrongdoing requires.
Scripture can recognize a person’s dignity without turning rebellion into an ideal. “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Strong Romantic worldview with a false, somewhat antinomian view of an elderly bank robber with a history of breaking out of prisons who’s seen as a rebel to be admired, with some moral elements centered on a police detective with integrity who has a happy family life, a man makes the Sign of the Cross but later explains how he hates the Christmas season because of an encounter he had with his stepfather
Foul Language
Seven obscenities (including one “f” word), two strong profanities and zero light profanities
Violence
A couple light car chases, police wound one bank robber in the side and another bank robber in the arm, one robber attends to man’s gunshot wound so there’s a little blood but no closeups, gentlemanly elderly bank robber flashes a gun and a smile at bank managers and employees to get their cooperation
Sex
No sexual content, but elderly unmarried couple kisses once and married police detective kisses and hugs his wife while they dance
Nudity
No nudity
Alcohol Use
Light beer drinking in some scenes (policeman’s son asks to have a sip of Dad’s beer, but the father says no and moves the beer bottle away from the boy)
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
Brief cigarette smoking in several scenes;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Strong miscellaneous immorality includes multiple bank robberies, movie relates criminal’s history of breaking out of prison 14 times, criminal flees police in a couple scenes, movie reveals unrepentant bank robber abandoned his wife and two children years ago, and lying.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Bob’s charm makes his repeated bank robberies seem entertaining. How can we show compassion for a person without approving of wrongdoing?
Romans 12:9 · Isaiah 5:20The detective has integrity and a happy family life. What does integrity look like when your work brings you into contact with wrongdoing?
Proverbs 10:9 · Titus 2:7–8The film presents Bob as a rebel to admire. What does Scripture say about freedom, and how is true freedom different from doing whatever we want?
Galatians 5:13 · 1 Peter 2:16Bob’s criminal history includes repeated escapes and abandoned family members. What does genuine repentance require beyond regret or charm?
2 Corinthians 7:10 · Luke 3:8The Final Word
This is an entertaining character study with strong performances, especially from Robert Redford. But its sympathy for an unrepentant bank robber makes it a poor family choice. Adults who remain interested should WAIT FOR HOME — ADULTS ONLY, where the film’s ideas and content can be handled thoughtfully. For other options, see.
