'The Old Man' on FX: Critics call Jeff Bridges' gritty spy thriller a budding masterpiece
With a day to go before we see 'Iron Man' star Jeff Bridges essay the role of a seasoned spy in FX's 'The Old Man', the critics who have had early access to the spy thriller have rustled up the hype with positive reviews. The thriller is based on the bestselling Thomas Perry novel of the same name. The veteran actor is now Dan Chase, a former army intelligence officer living in a small town in Vermont with his two dogs for close to 35 years. He's MIA after reportedly stealing $20 million during a mission in Libya, following which he goes on a run. All of a sudden, he finds himself being targeted by assassins and his mission is simple— stay alive, find out who wants to kill him, and make a getaway.
Per FX, the official synopsis reads, "Old Man stars Jeff Bridges, John Lithgow, and Amy Brenneman. The Old Man centers on Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges) who absconded from the CIA decades ago and has been living off the grid since. When an assassin arrives and tries to take Chase out, the old operative learns that to ensure his future he now must reconcile his past."
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TV Insider shed light on Bridges' Chase calling him a "lethal dude" in their take on the thriller. Decider called it a "budding masterpiece" and this was seconded by the LA times which said it was "a thriller you'd love". The Chicago Suntimes was rather elaborate: "There’s much to admire about the FX action-drama series “The Old Man,” starting with the powerful and nuanced work from Jeff Bridges, who has survived life-threatening battles with COVID and cancer, and there are some stunningly effective moments that play like a septuagenarian take on “The Fugitive” crossed with a “Bourne” movie."
Rotten Tomatoes has a 95% rating from critics making it one of the most-awaited shows in June. In their review, Variety said, "Bridges lends grain and texture to a role that could too easily be a geriatric Ethan Hunt: Chase may be close to infallible, but he also gets meaningfully frustrated and weary."
TIME's Judy Berman called epic writing, "What makes this... more than just another boomer action-adventure epic is its interrogation of the selfish, destructive, and self-righteous Chase’s claim to heroism." CBR's Josh Bell was lavish in praise as well: "What's compelling about The Old Man isn't necessarily its spy-thriller plot, but the character study of agents caught up in complex machinations beyond their control."
'The Old Man' premieres Thursday, June 16 at 10 pm ET on FX.
