'The Old Man' Review: Charming and dangerous, Jeff Bridges beats Jason Bourne in FX's spy thriller
Jeff Bridges' Dan Chase in 'The Old Man' is what Jason Bourne would be in his 70s — only he wouldn't probably be faster or sharper. The FX spy thriller puts Bridges in that role where he's charismatic yet dangerous, and in the kind of situation he's in, he doesn't necessarily have to be provoked. Sporting some age-ing washboard abs and well-toned calves that would make Clint Eastwood proud, Bridges is a man on the run in the new series based on Thomas Perry's novel of the same name.
The two-hour premiere feels like a feature film, and it's a bit of a bummer to actually see just one episode per week. The first 30 minutes of the show is all Bridges. He's raspy, creaky, old, and definitely appears to be on his last legs. He's got two dogs; they're loyal and get their fangs out when they have to. He's leading his life one day at a time until one day, he just has an intruder bringing his relatively sedated dangerous past bursting into his present. What follows is some gritty action, a man with a connection to his past, Harold Harper (John Lithgow), and a CIA liaison Raymond Waters (EJ Bonilla) hot on his heels.
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There's a lot the series needs to explain, especially after the kind of opening it gets off to. For starters, there's Chase's history as an ex-CIA agent during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, his relationship with Harper, and their collective connection to a warlord. Fleeing from his safe space, Chase arrives at what he relatively feels like one in Zoe's (Amy Brenneman) house for rent. The two share an instant spark. While undoing his knotty past, the episodes also provide a good background story for Zoe as a middle-aged divorcee. The two hit it off instantly and there are some tender moments in a thriller that's otherwise intriguing to the bone.
The seven-part limited series by Jonathan E Steinberg and Robert Levine is pure perfection. The cast makes 'The Old Man' all the more captivating. While Bill Heck, who plays a younger version of Chase, holds his own, the other star who shines is Lithgow as a man whose grandfatherly face and demeanor shroud a tough, razor-sharp brain. He's got his own share of dirty secrets, but he's still there trying to match Chase by every step. The supporting cast of 'Condor's Leem Lubany as a young Abbey Chase (later amazingly essayed by Hiam Abbass as the older version), and Alia Shawkat's Angela Adams, Harper's FBI protege, cash in with solid performances.
There's little room for emotions in 'The Old Man', but it uses those little windows to near-perfection, although some might feel it takes the focus away from the larger picture. But with tons of stories to tell, Steinberg and Levine's thriller is just getting started. It's intriguing and well-made, making for a perfect Thursday-night watch.
'The Old Man' airs Thursday nights at 10 pm ET.