I can understand why Duvall, one of the premier actors of our times, can sit back and look at his body of work with supreme satisfaction, and be more than willing to try new things. I can also understand why he went out and got himself a girlfriend 40 years his junior. He's due. What I can't understand is what he was trying to do with this film, other than spending some time working with his girlfriend. In a dual story about a aging hired killer and tango dancing, neither subject is developed to anything approaching interesting.
Duvall, as usual stellar as an actor, has not given himself very good material here. He goes about his job as a plumber would approach a leaky faucet; this attitude is commendable, and he sells it, but in the end his assassination job is almost as interesting as fixing a leaky faucet. Many twists and turns in that plot could have been developed into good suspenseful material (with another excellent actor, Ruben Blades, playing a supporting role). This is never explored, though, and we are left unmoved.
Similarly, the sequences with tango dancing are also never fully utilized to their full effect, and Duvall, who is supposed to be the central character, is barely shown doing any dancing at all, and his suppressed love for his real-life girlfriend never catches fire.
As a result, both plots are pretty much glossed over and what we end up with is two sub-plots, neither of which is satisfying. I love Duvall and watching him do almost anything is almost always worth it. Nevertheless, I'm afraid I have to say that this one fizzles and never sizzles.
Duvall, as usual stellar as an actor, has not given himself very good material here. He goes about his job as a plumber would approach a leaky faucet; this attitude is commendable, and he sells it, but in the end his assassination job is almost as interesting as fixing a leaky faucet. Many twists and turns in that plot could have been developed into good suspenseful material (with another excellent actor, Ruben Blades, playing a supporting role). This is never explored, though, and we are left unmoved.
Similarly, the sequences with tango dancing are also never fully utilized to their full effect, and Duvall, who is supposed to be the central character, is barely shown doing any dancing at all, and his suppressed love for his real-life girlfriend never catches fire.
As a result, both plots are pretty much glossed over and what we end up with is two sub-plots, neither of which is satisfying. I love Duvall and watching him do almost anything is almost always worth it. Nevertheless, I'm afraid I have to say that this one fizzles and never sizzles.