2020   Cloudburst Entertainment

Rated:  R

Length:  1 hr  44min

Crime ~ Comedy

Directed by:  George Gallo

Starring:  Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones, Morgan Freeman, Zach Braff, and Emile Hirsch.

Hollywood has never pulled a stunt like this.

The Comeback Trail was filmed in 2019 but because of The Covid-19 Pandemic, which also drove the initial distributor out of business, and the subsequent lawsuits over distribution, the release was delayed until February 25, 2025 and is currently on a number of streaming services including Hulu, Amazon Prime and Paramount+.

Let’s not beat around the bush—the trailer for “The Comeback Trail” promises more laughs than the movie actually delivers, except for the scene where the horse kicks Robert De Niro. I literally busted out laughing, it was completely obvious it was going to happen and so stupid, it was funny. You’d think with legends like Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones, and Morgan Freeman sharing top billing though, we’d have an instant classic with star-studded comic hijinks blazing across the screen. Instead, what we get is a worn retread of old Hollywood satire, a little too safe, not nearly dark enough, and just sort of… familiar.

If you’re expecting De Niro in full-on comedic genius mode—think Midnight Run or Analyze This—you’ll get flashes of it here, but mostly he’s dialing up the chaos as Max Barber, a washed-up producer who decides his only way out of mob debt is to “accidentally” kill his faded cowboy star, Duke Montana (Jones), to cash in on insurance. Forget twisty plotlines; the story is as predictable as you’re guessing right now, but with fewer laughs than you’d hope for.

The cast puts in the work. Jones, especially, walks off with the movie’s soul, playing Duke with a mix of melancholy and earnestness rarely seen in broad comedies. His suicidal cowboy could have been a running gag, but Jones injects heart and a hint of regret that almost—almost!—makes you care. De Niro is all bluster and wild schemes, burning calories trying to make Max’s desperation land. Freeman, meanwhile, has a few smirk-worthy lines but is largely sidelined.

Visually, the film actually looks decent. There’s an undeniable flair to the cinematography—the grimy, cut-rate movie sets and LA backlots sell the atmosphere. If you muted the sound, you might be tricked into thinking this is a riotous good time. But Bobby’s cardinal rule: it’s not how it LOOKS, it’s how it PLAYS, and here the play is just… average.

Bottom line? This is one of those late night cable comedies you watch on a whim, forget about by morning, and don’t exactly regret. There’s fun to be had—mostly courtesy of Tommy Lee Jones—but with three Oscar winners on deck and a premise ripe for crazy hijinks, it should have swung for the fences instead of bunting. Not awful, not great, just a movie that’s been here for years, reheating leftovers instead of serving up anything new.