Pros: The last 15 minutes is excellent – its action packed with a tense and suspenseful Kidnapping and murder. Good NYC location shots & Garfield is solid.
Cons: Too talky, verbose script, no real plot movement, unlikable characters and forgettable supporting actors. Looks Low-budget
The popularity of Force of Evil is puzzling. Except for the last 15 minutes, I found it boring. Its flaws are numerous:
- Thomas Gomez. First, Garfield as Gomez's brother ? The two look nothing alike.
- Unlikable Leads. Neither brother is particularly likable or interesting. Why are a mob lawyer and a numbers racketeer the “good guys”? And why are we supposed to care about them? Polansky fails to make it clear. The casting of Tom Gomez compounds the problem since Gomez’s forte was playing slobs and villains.
- Supporting cast. The Good girl & femme fatale generate no excitement. The rest of the supporting cast are merely adequate.
- Verbose talky Script. Until the last 15 minutes, almost every second of film is filled with forgettable banter & chatter, most of it about a boring plot to bankrupt the small-time racketeers. The story has no real drive or movement. The “good girl” wants to leave the rackets, blah blah. Gomez doesn’t want to join the combination, blah blah. Garfield argues with the Mob boss, blah blah.
Summary - Except for the last 15 minutes – a bore. Rating **
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