What’s Aged the Best?
The twist; photograph countdown; chemistry; political rivalry; score; getaway; collaborators; Scott
In the discussion (13)
Approx. transcript time · 00:16:59Read transcript
- A powerful man maintaining a mistress in a Virginia townhouse is praised as an effective movie premise, with joking disagreement about calling it aged best.
- Opening on an intense interrogation before jumping six months backward works here, despite objections that television has overused the device.
- The landlord’s revelation as Tom’s handler supplies a second twist.
- The gradually resolving photograph serves as an effective countdown.
- Costner and Young’s chemistry remains exceptionally strong.
- The destructive rivalry between Congress and the executive branch still resonates.
- Fred Dalton Thompson remains convincing as a military-industrial figure.
- The ominous Washington synthesizer score works well.
- Paying extra for an otherwise unavailable boat enables the Chesapeake getaway.
- Costner’s loyalty to collaborators carries supporting performers into later films.
- Scott’s patronizing demands for moral courage and calm remain entertaining.
- The old-college-friends connection between Tom and Scott is memorable.
- The henchmen’s awkward pursuit is funny enough to count as both a strength and a weakness.