retirement and comebacks

His films explore characters grappling with obsolescence and the struggle to remain relevant in changing circumstances, from *The Social Network* to *Mank*.

He has repeatedly examined aging, retirement, and the pull of comebacks through both his acting and direction in films like *Unforgiven*, *Gran Torino*, and *The Mule*.

His work deeply explores fading power, legacy, and the difficulty of letting go, particularly in *The Great Beauty* and *Silvio Forever*.