Grade: C-
Synopsis: An aging hood (Robert Mitchum) facing jail time contemplates turning police informant.
The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a gritty crime drama that could have, and probably should have, been better.
The problem is the length. While so many movies are overlong, this one’s actually far too short. Though Robert Mitchum has top billing, it’s essentially an ensemble film, but with only a 102-minute running time, we never really get to know any of the characters outside of Mitchum’s. Further, Mitchum seems out of place in the film, an old man amongst kids. His character makes mention of his contemporaries having long ago retired to Florida, but a longer running time would have allowed more interactions with more characters his age, such as his wife, or other locals, perhaps illustrating just how much has come and gone during Mitchum’s character’s lifetime.
Alternatively, director Peter Yates could have cut some of the ancillary plot lines, such as the bank robberies, to focus exclusively on Mitchum’s character. It’s either that or expand the running time to make the rest pay off.
Still, the film does feature solid performances all around, especially Steven Keats as a would-be hotshot gunrunner, and an ending that almost makes the whole thing worthwhile, but ultimately, the aforementioned length problem robs the finale of its full dramatic potential.
Bottom Line: Despite great atmosphere and solid performances, The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a prime example of a movie that’s just too short.
