Black Mass - L'ultimo gangster

Black Mass is a crime drama movie revolving around the true events behind the Winter Hill Gang and the gang's leader Whitey Bulger played by Johnny Depp. The premise for the film was very interesting as it played on Whitey Bulger's connections as his brother, William Bulger, played by Benedict Cummberbatch is a Massachusetts State Senator while one of his childhood friends John Connolly played by Joel Edgerton is an FBI agent. This an amazing premise however it was not fully executed as it focused mainly on Joel Edgerton's character and Cummberbatch's character felt out of place at times. This may have been a more realistic approach however I felt like they could have utilized Cummberbatch's character more in the film as it would have added two assets for Whitey. The Film is divided in three parts overlooking Whitey's almost twenty year reign. However because of this approach it leaves viewers wondering what happened in that time frame and feels as if it was forced to make the movie feel more like the actually events, so spread out. The cinematography and direction of the film is very crisp and sleek which makes the film a lot more enjoyable. The acting all together throughout the film is superb as it holds a stellar cast. I found Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton,Kevin Bacon and Benedict Cummberbatch to be all great. Depp's performance was electrifying and he should get an Oscar nod but I would not be surprised if he does not get one.

Overall decent film

7/10

According to Kevin Weeks, a member of Whitey Bulger's Winter Hill Gang, "The only resemblance to Whitey's character was the hairline.... The mannerisms--the way Whitey talked to us--he never swore at us. In all the years I was with that man, he never swore at me once. We never yelled at each other.... The language is all wrong...and Whitey would never have berated Stevie, either. Stevie was a psychopath. Stevie would have killed him...Stevie wasn't all sympathetic, mourning and sorrowful like he is in the movie. Stevie enjoyed murder." Of course, a gang leader who bullies his thugs may not have much future. Why this discrepancy? I suppose Hollywood people assume that gangsters are always menacing. The thought that they are often charming and solicitous would not occur to Hollywood people, who have more experience in offices than on the street. It's more fun and easier to have the bad guy twirl his mustache or dress in black than to create a nuanced, complex character. Leaders lead because their followers have selected them. Still, for people who haven't met many murderers, Johnny Depp's performance is very convincing.

Black Mass serves as a nice redemption for the floundering career of Johnny Depp, who has leaned more on quirky voices and loud makeup than his actual skills in recent years. His portrayal of mob boss Whitey Bulger is a powerhouse performance and easily his best since he first introduced the world to Jack Sparrow. It's too bad the movie as a whole doesn't fair quite as well. Despite a great cast and some interestingly insane source material, somehow a movie about one of America's most infamous criminals feels more like small claims court. Director Cooper focuses his narrative on Bulger's less-than-legal partnership with the FBI. It's a fascinatingly close-knit community we witness (agents, felons, politicians, and families alike) in which loyalty and corruption go hand-in-hand. It's a grimy yet quiet 70's-feel gangster film that engages its audience nearly as much as it reminds them of better films. Therein lies its big problem: What is Black Mass offering that hasn't already been perfected in other gangster films? Unfortunately, instead of a true movie-making vision, it's like a guy watched every crime drama from the last 40 years and just spit out a less-interesting copycat. Not that a counterfeit of something great can't still have its positives: the score is beautiful and the performances from the top-notch cast around Depp are nearly as superb as his, all of whom nail the oft-parodied Bostonian accent with aplomb. But with too many side plots to juggle, not enough cohesion to the storytelling, and an unfortunate lack of auteur vision, Black Mass just can't stand against the great American crime films of yore (Chinatown, Godfather, Goodfellas).

Black Mass (2015)

*** (out of 4)

Violent telling of Boston criminal James 'Whitey' Bulger (Johnny Depp) who started as just a small crook but quickly rose to be one of the biggest crime lords out there. A lot of this was due to his childhood friend John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), a FBI agent, who began working with the criminal in exchange for information.

BLACK MASS really wasn't as great as I was hoping it would be but there's no question that it's a solid film that managed to features some very good performances. I think the film falls short of being great for a number of reasons but one of the biggest is the fact that we've seen this type of gangster film countless times before and there's really nothing here that separates this film from various others out there.

I will say that the best thing about the film was the performance from Depp who really sinks his teeth into this role. Depp had been criticized for some of his film choices over the past few years but this is certainly him jumping back into the game and showing what he can do. I thought he was extremely good here and especially with that coldness he brought the character. He's surrounding by some nice support from Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Peter Sarsgaard, Rory Cochrane and Dakota Johnson.

The gangster genre has delivered some of the greatest movies ever made and it's created some rather by-the-number films that were quickly forgotten. I wouldn't say this film is going to be forgotten but it's certainly not going to reach the levels of GOODFELLAS, THE GODFATHER or WHITE HEAT. With that said, there's a nice little story here, some great performances and some graphic violence that makes it worth watching.

The icy blue eyes of notorious Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger stare out from the screen in Scott Cooper's "Black Mass" like the gaze of some confident jungle predator calmly lying in wait, holding his ground until the moment he moves in for the kill. And that same coolly calculated composure extends to every aspect of how the actor playing Bulger embodies the role, or rather disappears into it. But if Johnny Depp's mesmerizing performance — a bracing return to form for the star after a series of critical and commercial misfires — is the chief selling point of "Black Mass," there is much else to recommend this sober, sprawling, deeply engrossing evocation of Bulger's South Boston fiefdom and his complex relationship with the FBI agent John Connolly, played with equally impressive skill by Joel Edgerton. Something of an anti-"The Departed" (which was partly inspired by the Bulger case), the movie has an intentionally muted, '70s-style look and feel that may limit its appeal to the date-night multiplex crowd, but quality- starved adult moviegoers should flock to one of the fall's first serious, awards-caliber attractions. Not only that but Benedict Cumberbatch (who plays as a Senator and as Whitey's brother) has given a stellar performance. He is truly a talented person who gives his all in every film/show he acts.

BOTTOM LINE: Johnny Depp deserves an Oscar, if not then at least a nomination. Truly worth watching