the friends of eddie coyle review

This film transported me from Cali back to that wintry slum. Mitchum has never been better. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. As a small time hood, Eddie is about to go back to jail. It's the very matter of fact, unsentimental quality of the film that makes it something interesting and worth savouring. The Friends of Eddie Coyle (102 minutes) is a slow-burn, unconventional character study of a small-time criminal which smartly rejects the heightened sense of masculinity usually found in crime features. Judged simply by his actions, he's just a scum-bag in a world of scum-bags. Classic crime story featuring great performances, esp Mitchum as "working-class" hood whose life intersects with bank robbers, an aggressive cop and his informant. In order to escape this fate, he deals information on stolen guns to the feds. Peter Yates’ studied visual technique and Robert Mitchum’s subtly powerful presence makes this one an intriguing chronicle of a foredoomed wiseguy. One of the most realistic stories of the small-time criminal. The movie is drawn from a knowledgeable novel by George V. Higgins, himself a state’s attorney, and has been directed by one of the masters of this sort of thing, Peter Yates (“Robbery,” “Bullitt”). A. O. Scott looks at Peter Yates's 1973 film, starring Robert Mitchum as a small-time gun dealer in Boston. I'm 42 and I've lived in Boston my whole life. "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" is one of the better crime dramas to emerge from the 1970s. He is, as Mitchum embodies him, someone who has suffered for his courage (which should not, in this case, be equated with honor) enough that he sees the fear and suffering in others, and he knows how to use it. They make you put it in a dresser draw, then they kick it shut. Report abuse. Soon after the film began, I was a tad surprised to hear the 56 year-old Mitchum and his cohorts using language that even by 1970s standards was harsh. I have to say I live in the area this film was shot in. Some of Higgins' paperbacks featured blurbs by Elmore Leonard, and as one of the other reviewers pointed out, one of the (male) characters in this story is named Jackie Brown! It is probably Robert Mitchum's best performance, one in which he is well supported by Richard Jordan and Peter Boyle who give wonderfully low-key performances as the other two main protagonists. He thinks maybe he can make a deal with the state’s attorney and have a few good words put in for him up in New Hampshire. FAQ The Friends of Eddie Coyle. If the movie has a flaw, it’s that we don’t really care that much about the bank robberies that are counterpointed with Eddie’s situation. Another note, the film has a brilliant sense of place. A Very Meditative, Existential 1973 Gangster Picture with an Unusually Intriguing Robert Mitchum Performance. It’s not a high-strung gangster film, it doesn’t have a lot of overt excitement in it, and it doesn’t go in for much violence. Showing all 95 external reviews. Review: The Friends of Eddie Coyle. After a long battle with his conscience the weary Eddie decides to turn over some bank robbers that he knows well and who trust him. George V. Higgins' novel flowed along filled with atmosphere, intrigue, and ironic dialogue. I think this film captures Boston and the lives of small time mobsters better than any other film. You might think that after the sensation caused by the car chase in Bullit he would try to outdo himself here, but not so. Peter Boyle is also excellent and the direction superb. It's greatness comes, if we want to get auteur-istic about it, not from the director or writer, but from the star, Robert Mitchum. When violent action occurs it jars even more because it ends in an instant, with unsuspecting citizens walking or driving past who have no idea that something's been stolen, someone's arrested, someone's dead. The film is, in every aspect, of high quality. No glamour here. Why is this great film not on VHS or DVD??? And “The Friends of Eddie Coyle” works so well because Eddie is played by Robert Mitchum, and Mitchum has perhaps never been better. Really. What a great movie! Peter Yates has directed such excellent movies as `Bullitt,' `Breaking Away' and `The Friends of Eddie Coyle.' According to Higgins, Leonard, Hammett, etc., the most dangerous part of a life of crime is other criminals. When Eddie and the gun dealer are doing business in a supermarket parking lot, the dealer asks him why his wife doesn't do all the shopping. But The Friends of Eddie Coyle has a rhythm and tonality of its own. For me it was, especially in those months known for "Fall foliage! Yes, it's a crime novel, but it's one in which we see very little crime actually happen, and even what we get is often limited by our perspective. He invents him more than the writer. And “The Friends of Eddie Coyle” works so well because Eddie is played by Robert Mitchum, and Mitchum has perhaps never been better.”. It made sense to him. The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a solid crime novel, in which suspicion is normal, and nothing is glamourous. Peter Boyle is an associate of his, who runs a bar while also keeping his hands involved in the seamy side of business. The film isn't as well known as the other two, but it may be Yates' best work. 12 years ago. Steven Keats plays a hotshot gun-dealer in one of his best-ever roles. Let's hope it comes to DVD soon, so we can all relish one of the great stars in one of his last meaty parts. Sporting one of the most appropriate yet ironic titles around, The Friends of Eddie Coyle is an fine crime drama set in Boston, exuding a very 70's vibe, yet with a mature and complicated heist tale at its core that transcends the era. Everywhere. Eddie Coyle is a small-time hood in Boston who's known as Eddie Fingers because he "got his hand busted up after they put Billy Wallace away for a long time on a gun that he bought from somebody." Actually, this attempt, by Peter Yates, is quite good. Without ever rising to the top, Eddie has been employed in organized crime for most of his life. Here, none of the glamor visible in The Godfather is present. As a small time hood Eddie is about to go back to jail. Eddie Coyle shows a different Boston than we see in The Departed.This film takes place in some of the least attractive sections of Boston, but that isn’t to say they are uninteresting. If you can't do the time, don't have friends who do the crime. In its story of cops and crooks, it shows how there can be dishonour among thieves, especially if you're an ageing sad sack like Robert … Some of the cutting, though, us unaccountable. By. You can read why I came to this decision here. Directed by Peter Yates. I had to watch the new Criterion DVD release of "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" a couple of times before I could stop comparing it to the novel I've been re-reading for thirty-seven years, and see it clearly. Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. Photo: Paramount Pictures. Their friends slammed Eddie’s fingers in a drawer. Every meeting in The Friends of Eddie Coyle is in a public setting. The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a story about cops and robbers. The story isn’t developed in the usual movie way, with lots of importance being given to intricacies of plot; instead, Eddie’s dilemma occurs to him as it occurs to us, and we watch him struggle with it. He has always been one of our best screen actors: sardonic, masculine, quick-witted, but slow to reveal himself. He hit his stride at around this age, beat and tired, as in "Farewell My Lovely." And “The Friends of Eddie Coyle” works so well because Eddie is played by Robert Mitchum, and Mitchum has perhaps never been better. But this is Eddie Coyle’s picture, and Mitchum’s. Set around Boston, this would make a good double bill with "Mystic River." If The Godfather (1972) resembles high opera, then this movie is a cheap beer. trying to play both ends toward the middle.Great supporting cast including,Peter Boyle, Richard Jordan, and Alex Rocco{from Braintree Ma.} Eddie Coyle is made for him: a weary middle-aged man, but tough and proud; a man who has been hurt too often in life not to respect pain; a man who will take chances to protect his own territory. ", a landscape of death and decay, though some claim to find it beautiful. The buyers he supplied got caught. Its central character is the title character Eddie Coyle, a small-time criminal and informant. He gives us a man, invites our sympathy for him, and then watches almost sadly as his time runs out. Richard Jordan in a fine supporting role as a hard-nosed detective out to burst a gang of well-trained bank robbers. In its story of cops and crooks, it shows how there can be dishonour among thieves, especially if you're an ageing sad sack like Robert Mitchums' Eddie Coyle, and will do just about anything to avoid doing any more time. A gritty and realistic underworld thriller with bad people doing very bad things! But ultimately, he just doesn't want himself to suffer that much again. Verdict: excellent, bringing to life the relentless deceptions of everyday life in a criminal context where every 'friend' takes care of himself first, and where there's truly no honour among thieves. He's an old hood, still wrapped up in doing favors and still in the know, but he's becoming a liability as he scrambles to avoid doing time. Poor Eddie. The Friends of Eddie Coyle, 1973. Paul Monash’s screenplay stays close to the real-life Massachusetts texture of the novel, and the dialogue sounds right. The cast is peppered with top notch veterans of supporting and character parts, Dave Grusins' score is just right, and the use of various Boston locations is excellent. This is a (rare in film) example of the performer as "auteur". I lived in the New England states for much of my teens and twenties. Friends of Eddie Coyle is gem of a book. No one except the Kennedys talk like that. The methodical unfolding of the bank robberies, the gun-running, and the negotiations with a federal agent to keep out of jail, take place in what feels like real time. His Boston accent is impeccable and, well, he didn't get it growing up in Bridgeport. He’s facing a two-year stretch in New Hampshire, and he wants out of it. It's the very matter of fact, unsentimental quality of the film that makes it something interesting and worth savouring. A small time hood does whatever it takes to avoid a second stint in jail. Mitchum himself is seen as a petty hood way out of his league, and comes the closest to eliciting a modicum of sympathy from us. Unfortunately, the Feds, represented by the cynical and smoothly manipulative young Richard Jordan, are as tricky to pin down as eels and they press him for yet more. Few ever have been. This is an absolute gem of a film, very underrated and very under appreciated. Eddie Coyle is a small-time hood in Boston who's known as Eddie Fingers because he "got his hand busted up after they put Billy Wallace away for a long time on a gun that he bought from somebody." The Noir anti-hero commits, in one way or another, a transgression in order to achieve transcendent love and passion, the hope of realizing the sublime. The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a story about cops and robbers. It was during Mitchum's last hurrah, when he made interesting character studies like "Farewell, My Lovely." His knowledge of the police and the low-lifes from his own neighbourhood shines through in this story of Eddie Coyle and Jackie Brown. The biggest draw back of the movie from a box office draw perspective is that lead actor Robert Mitchum's stardom was on the wain by 1973 and his main body of fans would not have liked the character that he played. He understood. The Friends of Eddie Coyle 1h 40m drama, crime; Directed By: Peter Yates In Theaters: Streaming: Nov 27, 2013 The Friends of Eddie Coyle Reviews. Coyle, played in grand loser style by Mitchum, is running out of time while looking at an inevitable 3-5 year prison stint for bootlegging liquor (an outdated crime if there ever was one). https://archive.nytimes.com/.../books/00/08/20/specials/higgins-eddie.html Noir- for all of its "grit"- is a romantic genre. He's going nowhere except to jail unless he squeals. An ageing small time hood (Robert Mitchem - in the title role) is looking at jail time and wants to cut a deal with the forces of law and order. It is one of my top ten. The screenplay by Paul Monash was adapted from the 1970 novel of the same name by George V. Higgins. I just knew; I could tell by the gritty, ugly world it portrayed, the tragic state of being Eddie Fingers inhabited, and the solid genre filmmaking it represented. The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) External Reviews. Well, practically no movie is as good as the book. Quality acting from supporting actors as well as stars, a quality script and beautifully directed. "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" is an overlooked little gem of a crime film that's notable for what it doesn't do, and that's inundate us with action or melodrama. It’s a poignant portrait of the inevitable negative conclusion to a life of crime as well as a stunning portrayal of the old adage that, “There is no honor among thieves.” 4 people found this helpful. You'd need a budget and an ego to match. We're all aware of the antihero,well I think this movie has the quintessential "fantastic loser".Excuse me for coining a phrase but this group may go unnoticed otherwise.Along with movies like Fat City,Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (or just about every Warren Oates role)these characters may be the most interesting to watch,and Robert Mitchums performance in this movie has to be the best.Like a character that is hated but still championed it must have been hard to pull off a loser without the audience feeling overwhelming sympathy.I cannot believe when reading about Robert Mitchum that this movie is not mentioned.For me it is unquestionably his finest and most honest.Supporting roles,writing and direction all get high marks as well.One of the finest in a decade of masterpieces. Helpful. | It is essentially criminal (pun intended) that this neo-noir classic resides in the grey market, with unofficial copies being the best available way to see this film. We come to like Eddie, just a good guy trying to keep his nose above water and, alas, as so often, good guys get it in the neck while the evil flourish as the green bay tree. [2] This movie is rated 7.5 on iMDB.com [3] and is much better than that. Mitchum has long been amongst my favorite Hollywood performers, but I never knew he was capable of a performance like this. It takes place mostly, but not entirely, in dialogue, which is amazingly well written. Mitchum: "They let you choose the hand. Sometimes they’re in a bar, sometimes they’re in a supermarket parking lot, and sometimes they’re in a park on the outskirts of town. What a long way from the iconic super-star. Alex Rocco as a no-nonsense bank robber, and Peter Boyle as the stoolie/hit-man. Watching The Friends of Eddie Coyle, I knew that Steve loved it. An Executive Producer Recommends Three Films to Watch for Black History Month: Passing, A Most Beautiful Thing and Mr. This could be called one of the great neo-noirs of the 1970s. He has never been in an absolutely great film; he doesn’t have masterpieces behind him like Brando or Cary Grant. The Friends of Eddie Coyle, published in 1970, is the debut novel of George V. Higgins, then an Assistant United States Attorney in Boston. `The Friends of Eddie Coyle?' Eddie is in the peculiar position of actually wanting to snitch on his friends but finding no opportunity to do so and winds up the victim of a kind of metabetrayal. Peter Yates at his low-key best in a New England classic. In a way, he's an all-purpose go-getter, available to buy off some stolen guns, drive a hijacked truck, or for the most part make himself handy. In the jungle of blue-collar crime, he's a survivor, but just barely. Their friends smashed Eddie's fingers in a drawer. Without the "showiness" of most celebrated Hollywood actors- say late period Dustin Hoffman or Jamie Foxx- Mitchum invents Coyle. Share; Tweet; P layed by Robert Mitchum in the full slump of his iconic weariness, but without an ounce of heroism, Eddie Coyle is a small-time 50-year-old Boston ex-con … But once understood, the real is the only real. "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" is an overlooked little gem of a crime film that's notable for what it doesn't do, and that's inundate us with action or melodrama. It doesn't appear on screen, and it helps establish Eddy's sense of resignation, and it's cool, and would only add a few seconds to the picture. Robert Mitchum stars as the eponymous Coyle, but don't expect him to be the focus of the bulk of this story - this is really about Eddie's 'friends.'

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