Billy Bathgate

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Billy Bathgate

R

1991

1h 46m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

36%

Tomatometer

25 Reviews

28%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In 1935, Bronx teenager Billy Behan (Loren Dean) attracts the attention of powerful mobster Dutch Schultz (Dustin Hoffman) and quickly becomes a part of his organization, growing close to Dutch's associate, Bo Weinberg (Bruce Willis). Knowing his yet-undiscovered betrayal of the gang has placed his life in jeopardy, Bo makes Billy promise to look after his girlfriend, Drew Preston (Nicole Kidman). Attracted to the beautiful woman, Billy tries to protect Drew from the murderous Dutch.

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Patrick Z. McGavin

Chicago Reader

The filmmakers have foolishly equated the size of their budget with accomplishment. The movie drifts, and then it’s over–abruptly and before we’re able to fully take it in. The best parts were left on the page.

Rated: 2/4

May 26, 2022

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Variety Staff

Variety

Despite Dean's alert, open performance, Billy remains an opaque witness to events that are unfolding over his head. Hoffman's performance also is problematic.

Oct 24, 2018

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Billie Cohen

Time Out

Despite a Tom Stoppard script and diligent direction, EL Doctorow's novel about a youngster's experience of the life and times of Dutch Schultz seldom takes off as a movie.

Oct 24, 2018

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Chris Hicks

Deseret News (Salt Lake City)

There's plenty of glossy, slick entertainment here if you haven't gotten overly tired of mob flicks.

Oct 24, 2018

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David Kaplan

Kaplan vs. Kaplan

Rated: 2/5

Mar 1, 2008

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Aug 26, 2005

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Frank N

Rewatched it last evening, thought [again] it was a good film, entertaining, well made, lots of good performances, but I see most of the R-T audience didn't like it. Hope they're happy with the "better" stuff Hollywood is churning out these days.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/18/25

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RICK S

I thought Dean was terrific as Billy Bathgate (what ever happened to him?) Kidman is always good but didn't have much to work with. Hoffman was very miscast. The film would have been much better if Bruce Willis and Hoffman switched roles.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/25

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Kevin P

There are enough stories and themes here to keep the movie engaging though it is different than most gangster flicks.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/31/24

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Audience Member

Miscasted Hoffman as a kind of depressed mafioso, a main character who doesn't evolved and a love story lacking of something…Some sequences added could have made it a little more fun, also Bruce Willis is maybe also miscasted too. Well…I don't know, I guess if you like Kidman you won't be too disappointed…

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

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Audience Member

Nice to see a gangster movie with a well used femme fatale

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

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Audience Member

Kidiman s beautiful as alwaysbut the atory iscweak and predictable with oceans of stage blood.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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Robert Benton

Director

Dustin Hoffman

Dutch Schultz

Nicole Kidman

Drew Preston

Loren Dean

Billy Bathgate

Bruce Willis

Bo Weinberg

Steven Hill

Otto Berman

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Synopsis

In 1935, Bronx teenager Billy Behan (Loren Dean) attracts the attention of powerful mobster Dutch Schultz (Dustin Hoffman) and quickly becomes a part of his organization, growing close to Dutch's associate, Bo Weinberg (Bruce Willis). Knowing his yet-undiscovered betrayal of the gang has placed his life in jeopardy, Bo makes Billy promise to look after his girlfriend, Drew Preston (Nicole Kidman). Attracted to the beautiful woman, Billy tries to protect Drew from the murderous Dutch.

Director: Robert Benton
Producer: Arlene Donovan, Robert F. Colesberry
Screenwriter: Tom Stoppard
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $15.5M
Runtime: 1h 46m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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