THE COMEBACK TRAIL, US, 2020. Starring Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones, Emile Hirsch, Zach Braff, Patrick Muldoon, Eddie Griffin, Kate Katzman, Vincent Spano. Directed by George Gallo. 104 minutes. Rated M (mature themes, frequent coarse language, comedic violence).
The Comeback Trail offers a mixed bag of entertainment. It takes us back to Hollywood in 1974, the era of exploitation films, an era of shonky producers (well, perhaps, that is always with us), deals with and insurance scams.
The dominant presence in the film is Robert De Niro, as Max Barker, long grey curly hair, cap, sunglasses, a way with words, but ready for a deal if it suits him. De Niro certainly gives it his energetic best but, his insistent presence and performance may grate on some audiences. Trying to provide some kind of emotional and ethical balance, is his nephew, played by Zach Braff. We first see them watching outside of the cinema playing Killer Nun (perhaps a title now taken for granted on Netflix!), with a group of clergy and sisters protesting with placards. (The screenplay has its cake and eats it as well by providing a rather lengthy trailer for the film, a touch of the salacious, during the final credits, gangsters, drug dealers, vigilantes nuns prizing funds for their orphanage!).
The principal gangster here is played by Morgan Freeman, deep baritone as usual, but obnoxious, a gangster with a fund of knowledge and reference to old movies, an odd performance.
Complications arise when an upstart producer who used to work with Max, James (Emile Hirsch) offers $1 million for a screenplay that Max prizes dearly and wants to make whatever the cost. When the star of the projected film, preening himself for publicity, actually overbalances and falls to his death, there is a revelation – $5 million on his insurance policy.
Max sees a marvellous way for a comeback. He has an old script about the Oldest Gun in the West and realises that an ancient, grizzled Western star, Duke Montana, in an aged home and now suicidal, would be the ideal to play in the film – but for him to die on set quickly into the filming and Max and the gangster who subsidises the costs, get rich quick.
Actually, the film seems to get better and more entertaining once the filming starts. Tommy Lee Jones is at his best as Duke Montana, depressed and regretting his life, but remembering his success and career, expert at stunts, though not without apprehension at times. Once the group go on location, there are some enjoyable sequences with Duke’s stunts, as well as Max’s attempts to kill him. The gangster threatens to come to the set and does, revolver in hand. However, he is highly entertained by the footage they have shot; what else but a happy ever after comeback for everyone concerned.
Mixed blessings.
Madman Films
Released 19 November Peter Malone MSC is an associate of Jesuit Media