A charming and engrossing true-crime tale, The Old Man & the Gun provides the perfect send off for legendary actor Robert Redford, while also proving to be an expertly made period piece that recalls the understated character films of the 70s.

Not many have had the kind of impact on American cinema as Robert Redford. For over 50 years, Redford has personified what it is to not only be a movie star, but to do so with a class, charm, and intelligence that many others in his wake have tried to emulate. The Old Man & the Gun, Redford’s 48th and reportedly last movie role, clearly proves the 82 year old most definitely still has “it”, with his performance as a charming bank robber about as good a send-off as any actor could deliver.

Written and directed by Peter Lowery (A Ghost Story), The Old Man & the Gun tells the story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford), a career criminal and multiple time prison escapee who captivated the state of Texas with a string of bank robberies done with smooth precision. On his trail is police detective John Hunt (Casey Affleck), while caught up in Forrest’s criminal life is wealthy widower Jewel (Sissy Spacek.)

Beautifully photographed by Joe Anderson (Don’t Think Twice) and shot in Antworth, Texas, The Old Man & the Gun brings that classic 70s aesthetic that matches its breezy, charming vibe. Where Lowry’s previous film A Ghost Story was a bore of near supernatural proportions, The Old Man & the Gun pops with personality, as fuelled by its winning performances. Key among them is Casey Affleck who dons a fantastic moustache while playing a cop of low-key vibe but dogged determination; Tom Waits as a wise-cracking criminal; and especially Sissy Spacek as a widower with a large heart and warm as apple pie demeanour.

Yet this is the Redford show, and the man who gave us Sundance, Hooker, and Woodward adds another wining turn to his cannon of classic performances. With twinkle in his eye and wry smile still melting all kinds of hearts, Redford presents his Forrest Tucker as a criminal whose cold and calculated precision to his craft is matched by the warmth of his personality. That he views his criminal exploits as damn near vocation is almost tragic in the way it affects those around him.

Saying goodbye is never easy, but The Old Man and the Gun helps soothe the process in bidding farewell to Redford on the screen. That it’s also a terrifically entertaining movie is all the better.