Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- irreverent
- nostalgic
- lazy sunday
- classic comedy night
What critics said
Critics found the film an uneven but entertaining vehicle for Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, with its comic premise stronger than its realism and execution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Harry and Archie leave prison expecting to resume their criminal lives but find themselves treated as obsolete senior citizens.
The pair attempt to return to robbery while confronting changed circumstances, an unreliable hit man, and a world that no longer accommodates them.
Harry Doyle and Archie Long rely on their longstanding partnership as they navigate parole, criminal threats, and renewed outlaw schemes.
The film invokes ex-cons, hit men, train robbery, and tough-guy mythology while filtering them through elderly characters and comic situations.
Films like Tough Guys, and why
Going in Style
shared aging-criminal protagonists, crime caper structure, and affectionate comedy
The Crew
shared veteran performers, crime comedy, and mismatched older protagonists resisting obsolescence
The Hot Rock
shared prison-release premise, comic criminal misadventures, and warm buddy dynamics
Movie Details
- Director
- Jeff Kanew
- Release Date
- 1986-10-03
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (156)
Cast
- Burt Lancaster
- Kirk Douglas
- Charles Durning
- Alexis Smith
- Dana Carvey
- Eli Wallach
- Billy Barty
- Darlanne Fluegel
- Darlene Conley
- Nathan Davis
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Tough Guys about?
- Two newly paroled veteran criminals discover that returning to their old outlaw life is harder—and funnier—than escaping prison.
- What is Tough Guys like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Tough Guys as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Tough Guys violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Tough Guys as mild.
- What did critics think of Tough Guys?
- Critics found the film an uneven but entertaining vehicle for Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, with its comic premise stronger than its realism and execution.
- Which films are like Tough Guys?
- Films with a similar feel include Going in Style, The Crew, and The Hot Rock.
- How long is Tough Guys?
- Tough Guys runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Tough Guys?
- In United States, Tough Guys streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
