Weary and lonely old recluse and former top military assassin Calvin Barr (superbly played with quiet dignity by Sam Elliott),who was responsible for killing Hitler during World War II, comes out of retirement to track done a Bigfoot that's carrying a deadly plague which could wipe out the human race.

The pulpy title and premise promise something extremely cheesy and outrageous, but fortunately that's not the case with this surprisingly low-key character-driven piece. Instead of tacky thrills and dumb humor writer/director Robert D. Kryzykowski offers a thoughtful and poignant meditation on aging, regret, redemption, myths falling short of harsh reality, and the heavy toll violence takes on the human soul that's done at a deliberate pace and with the utmost sincerity.

This film benefits tremendously from the substantial amiable charm and battered conviction that Elliot brings to his juicy lead role; one can't help but be touched by Calvin's sadness concerning how his life didn't exactly pan out the way he hoped it would and his subsequent deep need to still make something out of said life. Moreover, there are sturdy supporting contributions from Aidan Turner as the eager and dutiful younger Calvin, Caitlin FitzGerald as sweet teacher girlfriend Maxine, Larry Miller as Calvin's caring younger brother Ed, and Ron Livingston as pesky government agent Flag Pin. Rich in well-observed incidental detail and gentle insights into the human condition, it's a small gem.

THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT is a strange, tonally bizarre low budget character study of a larger-than-life figure involved in some very strange 20th century goings on. Sam Elliott, a big-name star who's rather better than the material, essays the role of a former assassin who finds himself hunting America's favourite cryptozoological creature, but this turns out to be a slow and introspective film for the most part with a minimum of cheesy and exploitative moments. It's also very dull, neither funny nor quirky enough to amuse, and not well written enough to convince as a "proper" film.

Calvin Barr (Sam Elliott) is an old man living quietly in retirement. Well, he tries. When he gets robbed by three thugs, he has to beat them up to get back his car. He is a man with a mysterious past. He killed Hitler and he's recruited to hunt down Bigfoot in Canada to prevent the spread of a plague to the world.

Sam Elliott is a cinematic treasure. He is incapable of delivering less than a fascinating performance. As for the fantastical title, the story has some of that element but the filmmaking is not quite up to the outlandish promise. There are some great little scenes but they're not really linked together. I love some of the flashbacks like killing Hitler and proposal in restaurant. This movie needs something and I'm not sure what.