The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Pierluigi P

  
  Seventies noir that owes much of the austerity and realism to the cold city of Boston as well as to the the french crime thrillers of Jean Pierre Melville mostly to the superb "Le Doulos" as the character study of a man moving between two factions, Robert Mitchum as an old,… More
  Seventies noir that owes much of the austerity and realism to the cold city of Boston as well as to the the french crime thrillers of Jean Pierre Melville mostly to the superb "Le Doulos" as the character study of a man moving between two factions, Robert Mitchum as an old, weary weapons dealer turned into an informant to keep himself free from a conviction he thinks would be his last. The street prose of writer George Higgins, and Peter Yates' minimalist direction are the stronger points of this notable film.

• Jonathan H

  
  The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a very good example of gritty 1970s Hollywood. It's also a great example of how a crime film should be made: methodically, with an emphasis on mood and behavior, instead and thrills and violence. Director Peter Yates' (yep, the same Peter Yates… More
  The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a very good example of gritty 1970s Hollywood. It's also a great example of how a crime film should be made: methodically, with an emphasis on mood and behavior, instead and thrills and violence. Director Peter Yates' (yep, the same Peter Yates that did Krull...) carefully observed, yet mercurially pace establishes the perfect tapestry from which this story springboards from. Most films portray crime as a shady, shadowy, if not seductive venture; this film treats it as a form of day labor -- out in the open, with nothing to hide (be it a corner bar, or a supermarket parking lot). Of course the film's lynchpin is Robert Mitchum (have I mentioned that I love him?). He often gets criticized for being lazy and uncaring in his performances. I contend that he's such a good actor, that he never overacts or calls attention to his emoting, that it throws people off. You'll never see him be showy, but he finds truth in every moment. He's subtle and nuanced, not "performative." He won't boast and yell in typical Oscar bait fashion, but watch his eyes sometime -- they say more than many actors' entire bodies could ever say. Eddie Coyle is a great example of this idea, and it just so happens to be one of Mitchum's finest roles, completely stripping down the brazen masculinity that had made him popular He's an aging, grounded, unsentimental, down-on-his-luck man who's trying to beat one last rap. There's both a quiet desperation and a sense of urgency behind every one of his lines. Mitchum died in 1997 and it's hard not to think of his bellowing steel baron in Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man as his final bow. Yet, watching him take in a Bruins game, drinking a few beers and chanting "Number Four! Bobby Orr!" before his bartender friend takes him home for the night, it's even harder to consider The Friend of Eddie Coyle as anything less than Mitchum's true swan song.

• Ken S

  
  Gritty and realistic with great cinematography and acting. The story however is a little slow, but worth checking out if you're a fan of crime films.

• Michael G

  
  What Friends of Eddie Coyle does have going for it is some knockout performances from Robert Mitchum and Peter Boyle. And despite my complete and total lack of familiarity with the 70s-era Boston underworld, I'll dare say smarmy realism. Director Peter Yates does kind of succeed… More
  What Friends of Eddie Coyle does have going for it is some knockout performances from Robert Mitchum and Peter Boyle. And despite my complete and total lack of familiarity with the 70s-era Boston underworld, I'll dare say smarmy realism. Director Peter Yates does kind of succeed with telling the story of an aging low-level criminal about to go away to prison. I say this only because for much of the movie I felt like I'd been sentenced to a prison term while watching it. On the plus side, the bank robberies were well done and the hockey game sequence was also a nice change of pace. I'd recommend this if you're a fan of Mitchum but beyond that its pretty dull.

• Nicki M

  
  Decent 70's thriller. Would have liked a little more "oomph" at the end, but on the whole, enjoyed it. Good acting and well paced.

• danny d

  
  peter yates film is one of the best crime dramas of the 1970's, which is a decade littered with good crime dramas. superb but subtle acting, realistic dialogue that isnt too heavy handed like most crime dramas, and perfect spacing of the ensemble cast despite a star like mitchum… More
  peter yates film is one of the best crime dramas of the 1970's, which is a decade littered with good crime dramas. superb but subtle acting, realistic dialogue that isnt too heavy handed like most crime dramas, and perfect spacing of the ensemble cast despite a star like mitchum being in the cast. alex rocco gives a performance too close to home after coming out of the life he portrays in this film, and steven keats reminds us of why his suicide robbed us of a solid character actor. then of course, peter boyle was great as always. an excellent film.

• Stella D

  
  a great gritty crime thriller from the 70's with robert mitchum in one of his best roles, as an aging small-time hood trying hard to get out from under...with no help from his 'friends.' for some reason this still isn't on dvd

• Mike T

  
  Peter Yates' spare, brooding crime-drama does very little to manipulate its audience in the conventional sense. Making selective use of sound and ample use of imagery, Yates constructs an environment that speaks almost for itself. This is a film that imbeds the viewer in the… More
  Peter Yates' spare, brooding crime-drama does very little to manipulate its audience in the conventional sense. Making selective use of sound and ample use of imagery, Yates constructs an environment that speaks almost for itself. This is a film that imbeds the viewer in the attitudes and conversations of the culture it depicts, rather than heightening the energy of reality for the sake of impact. It never forces dramatic moments, and it never asks for sympathy. Reading reviews for the film before seeing it, I expected/hoped to see more of Robert Mitchum. However, after finishing it I realized it wasn't a showcase picture, or even a performance picture. The ensemble cast is unanimously strong, and they all have ample amounts of screen time, but their style of acting is conducive to the vision and never takes precedence over it. This is a distantly elegiacal piece that made an indelible mark on its genre. Film buffs should definitely see it.

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