Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin star in a scene from the movie "Going in Style." The Catholic News Service classification is A-III -- adults. (CNS/Warner Bros.)

By Catholic News Service

Leaden comedy about a trio of retirees (Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin) driven to desperation by financial woes who cook up an unlikely scheme to rob a branch of the bank they blame for the cancellation of their pensions. As they get tips for a successful caper from an experienced criminal (John Ortiz), Arkin’s grouchy character finds romance with a grocery store checkout lady (Ann-Margret).

Director Zach Braff’s remake of Martin Brest’s 1979 film — which also features Matt Dillon as an FBI agent — amounts to a complete waste of its cast’s considerable gifts. While not a movie from which viewers are likely to draw any real-life moral conclusions, it does present the oldsters’ actions as justified and ultimately harmless.

A frivolous treatment of crime, including drug use, a couple of brief premarital bedroom scenes, a scatological sight gag, about a half-dozen uses of profanity, some vulgar sexual references, a single instance of rough language, considerable crude and crass talk. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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