Never Grow Old

Ugly, bleak, gritty, and enjoyable

There are next to no surprises in Never Grow Old - chances are everything you think is going to happen does happen. However, this isn't really a criticism. The film wears its predictability like a badge of honour, and Kavanagh is obviously a huge fan of violent revisionist westerns such as Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch (1969) and S. Craig Zahler's Bone Tomahawk (2015). The script isn't going to be winning any awards for originality, but the film has been put together with undeniable craft. It's bleak, gritty, and despairing, and whilst it won't change your life, it is rather enjoyable.

For my complete review, please visit: https://boxd.it/NwNnD

A thinly laid out story stops this from being a classic, but despite that, this western was a lot better than I expected. Good to see Cusack in a decent role for a change, too. Let's just hope he continues to get the roles his talents deserve.

John Cusack and Emile Hirsch lead the cast in the Western drama Never Grow Old. When a gang sets up a bar and brothel in a peaceful frontier town the undertaker starts working overtime, but he soon has a crisis of conscience as he watches the town fall apart. The pacing is pretty slow and there’s not a lot of character development, but Cusack and Hirsch do a good job at working with what they have; particularly Cusack, who makes for a really captivating villain. Also, the sets and costumes are exceptionally well-done, giving the film an authentic Old West look and feel. The score too is quite impactful and sets an atmospheric tone. Yet while it’s well-crafted, Never Grow Old is a by-the-numbers revenge film that meanders about too much.