51431440 Actor Johnny Depp is back in costume as Whitey Bulger as filming resumes on ‘Black Mass’ in Boston, Massachusetts on May 27, 2014. Johnny and his co-stars are seen filming a violent execution style scene! FameFlynet, Inc – Beverly Hills, CA, USA – +1 (818) 307-4813
Gangster crime thrillers, I can taken ’em or leave ’em.
The last one I really enjoyed was Martin Scorsese’s 2006 underworld drama THE DEPARTED with Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg.
That is, until this week!
Warner Brothers kicks off the 2015 fall movie season with vibrant style and violence with BLACK MASS, the true story of south Boston mobster James Whitey Bulger (Johnny Depp) who, throughout the 70’s and early 80’s, pretty well controlled everything from murder and drugs to gambling and racketeering.
If it happened in south Boston, Whitey was involved—or made damn sure why he wasn’t cut in on the action.
So how did he continually avoid the strong arm of the law?
For one, his brother William “Billy” Bulger (Benedict Cumberbatch) had risen to the top rank of the Massachusettes Senate – and family ties do matter,
But when it came right down to it, the Feds were more interested in eliminating a common enemy, the Italian mob, which pretty well controlled the rest of the city.And so a wink-wink payoff system became the accepted norm on the south side.
But pressure from ‘Whitey’s’ best friend since childhood turned F.B.I. agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) and his boss Charles McGuire (Kevin Bacon) forced Bulger to turn informer of sorts.
“Not an informer but an alliance with the Feds,” Bulger emphasized.
Whatever one would call it, it made for an unholy alliance—until it spiraled out of control.
And Johnny Depp? Is that really him?
He’s almost unrecognizable in this role like Steve Carell was in FOXCATCHER.
But I’m here to tell you that Depp delivers one of the strongest performances of his career in this film and is a sure bet for a Best Actor nomination.
What finally happened to Whitey Bulger made the national news a couple years ago, but in case you didn’t hear it, I won’t spoil it for you.
Kudos also to director Scott Cooper (CRAZY HEART) for bringing this notorious gangster drama to the screen and holding us glued to our seats for the better part of two hours.
BLACK MASS is the kind of well crafted film that makes the fall season the best time of the year—-at least as far as movies go.
My score: A chilling: B+
(Reviewed at Cinemark Palace, Plaza)
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday mornings at 6:40 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. on 98.1FM-KMBZ.
Dip Depp ‘sorta’ looks like Whitey Bulger; moreso, he looks like former Monkee Mickey Dolenz, circa 2015…
Saw it last night. Damn good movie. Totally agree with your review. thanks
It was a good movie, not great. I think the Whitey Bulger story has been over told. That one Whitey book by the Boston newspaper reporters (America’s Most Wanted Gangster?)was definitive and a fascinating read.
Tend to agree with you. But seeing Depp in something other than a ‘costume’ and pulling it off was worth my two hours ‘in the dark’………
Can’t believe you didn’t mention that the screenwriter is a KC (PV) native.
What’s that got to do with the movie? Does PV make it any better or worse? With that kinda logic the review probably should’ve mentioned that Johnny Depp stems from Owensboro, Kentucky.
Don’t be so petulant. It’s just a little piece of trivia that gives the movie a local connection. Critics do it all the time. Lighten up, Francis.
In fact, read the review in The Star, a-hole.
Jon Niccum wrote a nice feature piece on local screenwriter Mark Mallouk in the STAR.