An exclusive interview with director SIMON WEST talking about the action-packed comedy OLD GUY.
SYNOPSIS: An aging hitman (Christoph Waltz) is forced to train a young prodigy (Cooper Hoffman) when his employer moves to replace the old guard. But when they learn they are being betrayed, the unlikely pair turns into a lethal team – with their double-crossing bosses in their sights. Lucy Liu also stars in this action-packed comedy.
Directed by SIMON WEST with script by Greg Johnson, OLD GUY stars Christoph Waltz, Lucy Liu, Cooper Hoffman, and Desmond Eastwood.
Known best for heavy-hitting action-packed and star-studded films like Con Air, Expendables 2, and Skyfire, Simon West delights us once again, this time with fun-filled action and one of the most unlikely aging hitmen to come around in a long time thanks to Christoph Waltz. Always a joy to speak with Simon, this time around we dig into this unique portrayal of a hitman nearing the end of his career who brings humor and energy to the role. We are treated to deep character development, which is aided by deliberately slowing down the film’s pace to allow for that character development and natural performances in this character-driven comedic action piece. Touching on the importance of casting and the film’s ability to resonate with audiences of all ages, the film’s structure, from script to dialogue to action, called for a realistic yet enhanced visual style which is beautifully developed thanks to the work of cinematographer Martin Ahlgren, most notably with lighting and fluidity of camera movement. Celebrating an intergenerational dynamic between Waltz’s character of Danny Dolinski (who will have you in stitches throughout the film) and his young trainee Wihlborg designated to replace Danny, wonderfully played by Cooper Hoffman, Simon brings out the humanity and relatable qualities of the characters while exploring themes about aging, friendship, and finding purpose.
As we broke down the elements of OLD GUY, we discussed, among others:
- Visual Grammar and Lighting
- creating energy and contrast that fueled the characters
- visual grammar that allowed the actors to shine through their performances and subtle expressions without the camerawork or lighting interfering
- visual tonal bandwidth
- the importance of character development and allowing talented actors to bring depth to their roles, rather than just focusing on action
- Simon’s directing style
- Character Development and Casting Choices
- Filming Techniques and Pacing
- and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 02/13/2025
OLD GUY is now in theatres and on digital.
