Casting the young Miss Evancho was a no brainer. She possesses that very rare quality of "leaping off the screen". Its a combination of beauty and persona that cannot be described but whatever it is she's got it and Redford saw it. I am sure that a large percentage of the people that paid to see this movie went to see the young Miss Evancho.
The movie is about regret and redemption and the importance of family. RR character is running/hiding from the law in an effort to clear his name for one reason - his daughter played by Jackie Evancho. Jackie is a natural on screen. RR hand picked Jackie. Jackie was offered the part on day and the next was on location shooting.
RR character was indeed part of the underground. But he was not at the Michigan bank. If he was not at the bank it would be impossible for RR character to be involved in murder of the security guard. Did you not see the whole movie? In the end his name cleared. He then was reunited with daughter. This scene above the last scene in the movie.
