Decades ago actors (and, certainly, actresses) often used to quit making movies, to retire and be remembered for what they've done while being young, strong, beautiful. Some decided to reappear for a special occasion, like James Cagney, some kept their decision till the end. Greta Garbo and Cary Grant come first into my mind.
Today the times have changed. After Katherine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Jack Lemmon, Henry Fonda and others that didn't want to waste their last breaths, many actors that have approached the years where traditional lover and action hero roles don't fit much any more not only keep on playing, but aren't satisfied to get supporting roles for new young stars movies – they even make movies where all top casting positions contains their peers. And while Clint, Tommy Lee and others decided to go to space, Kris, Peter and Keith's movie takes place in (similarly isolated) American wilderness.
For Kristofferson, as a country composer and singer, and as a "Heaven's Gate" star, this is a natural environment. Carradine also had his share of roles that took him to middle USA, "Nashville" and "The Long Riders" among best remembered. And for Fonda this may be the kind of landscape that he rode along in "Easy Rider".
Though their best years are behind them they are still capable of making a good job. They are not stars like Jones and Eastwood (and, unfortunately, never have been – just a step behind, having maybe just a teaspoon less luck to make few successes in a line), and they don't get first class productions. However, taking what's been offered, none of them disappointed us. There was no need for a big theater type of acting, the three men are small people from small town and big gestures would be overacting.
Though the story keeps running in the limits of solid TV production, the writers made some unusual and funny jokes (stolen dead body, agent Collins' enthusiasm...) and avoided making the conflict between worlds of a teenage computer fan and his grandfather from isolated farm become a center point of jokes (so many times repeated in movies like "Crocodile Dundee", "Coming to America", "Starman", "Les visiteurs" etc) – screenplay is definitely better than one would expect seeing that long list of writers. However, the directing seems rather slow and too mainstream, leaving some scenes underused and a lot of potentials partially ignored. As it could be expected, the end is too sentimental containing no surprises, very TV-ish, but doesn't ruin the integrity.
Anyway, it is always a pleasure to watch those three next-to-top stars and, without having to big expectations, those who like all or some of them won't regret.
