Rating of
2/4
Disappointing on so many levels
Andrew - wrote on 05/18/12
Dick Tracy is a maddening film. Why is it maddening? Well, it could have been so much better. It has stunning visual style, a great villainous performance from Al Pacino and a surprisingly good performance from Madonna of all people. However, the story is a joke. The gangsters in the film are so over the top stupid and this film includes basically every cliche about film noir.
Warren Beatty plays the title role of Dick Tracy, a workaholic detective trying to bring down Big Boy Caprice (Al Capone) a mob boss who eliminates his competition and wants to run all of the rackets in the city. Madonna plays Breathless Mahoney, a singer who is fixated on Tracy, much to the chagrin of Tracy's girlfriend Tess (Glenne Headly). Charlie Korsmo also stars as The Kid, an orphan taken in by Tracy and Tess.
Believe or not, Dustin Hoffman appears in the film as Mumbles. Hoffman's outstanding acting talents are completely wasted as his character speaks only incomprehensible gibberish (hence his name). I know this film is supposed to be campy, but it simply lacks depth and wallows in its ridiculousness.
