Dick Tracy

Starring: Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, Madonna, Dustin Hoffman, Dick Van Dyke, William Forsythe, Seymour Cassel, Kathy Bates, Catherine O'Hara, James Caan
Directed by: Warren Beatty
Rating: PG
Genre: Action, Drama, Crime
Box Office: $
1990

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Dick Tracy (Warren Beatty) takes on a gang of mobsters, including their frightening leader, Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino).

Review:

Tim: I enjoyed this movie. Maybe I shouldn't have, because it is silly, over-the-top, and a bit ridiculous. It is also entertaining, however. We have larger than life characters, a comic-book-looking background, and a famous protagonist.

Warren Beatty is very, very good as Dick Tracy. He makes an excellent hero cop, and was very well cast (by himself). Dicky Tracy is a very cool character, dressed impressively all in yellow. Beatty makes a wonderful Tracy, and he is just so fun to watch. Al Pacino is way too over-the-top, bordering on ridiculous. Wisely, he stops just inches before the performance would be absurd. Still, the performance is a bit much. Madonna is surprisingly good here. I can't believe I am saying this, but she's perfect for the part. Watch when she says, "Aren't you gonna frisk me?" She is excellent. The supporting cast all work very well, as you would expect from the lines of Dustin Hoffman, Dick Van Dyke, and others.

The reason this movie works is because of the relationships between the characters- especially the relationship between Tracy, Tress, and the Kid. We also have a love triangle, a huge amount of bad guys, betrayals, set-ups, and much more. There's a little bit of everything here.

The film is hurt by the fact that is is too over-the-top. Scenes which needed to have a certain amount of restraint are busting loose instead. This prevents the film from becoming great (which it had every right to be).

Dick Tracy is a visual extravaganza, a quickly-paced action thriller. While flawed, it is also very entertaining. It is a fun movie bolstered by a few great performances. I feel confident you will enjoy yourself here.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Sin City, The Phantom, Heaven Can Wait