1990's DICK TRACY was a non-starter in kicking off a movie franchise for star & director Warren Beatty. While it's fun to look at thanks to a comic strip feel to all the scenery and set design, it's not exactly exciting, well written or fun to watch. Beatty is really flat as Dick Tracy, and I know being unruffled and steady as Tracy is what you want, but Beatty is almost not even there he is so emotionless. The polar opposite of that performance is Al Pacino as main bad guy Big Boy Caprice. Pacino is SO over the top he just becomes a LOT of deafening shouting and noise. Dustin Hoffman is good as Mumbles, Madonna has her only good film role beyond Evita as Breathless Mahoney and Charlie Korsmo is very good as "The Kid". You get a glimpse of how good the film could have been watching William Forsythe as Flattop, the perfect blend of makeup and performance, but no one else comes close. This is a disappointing film and I expect a lot more from Beatty. Dick Tracy may always get his man, but he sure doesn't get much of a film here and only captures a C.
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