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Black Mass (2015)
This is a biographical crime film that focuses on the criminal career of James 'Whitey' Bulger and the 'Winter hill gang' in Boston.
I really enjoyed this film. It was done really well, developed the characters well and gave an insight into most of them.
It could however have been a great film. The film is based on a book entitled 'The unholy alliance between the FBI and Bulger'. Therefore that is where the majority of the film is focused.
Depp as James 'Whitey' Bulger
The film is well shot and I was engaged from start to finish. It is always a bit easier for me to become engrossed when i know that these things actually happened. When I know that it takes away the temptation to say "that could never happen"
Joel Edgerton as FBI agent John Connolly
What I liked
The cast - This film does boast a superb cast with the likes of Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton, Dakota Johnson, Kevin Bacon, Jesse Plemons, Peter Sarsgaard, Corey Stoll to name some of them.
Depp's performance - Johnny Depp is a highly talented and versatile actor and this is probably my favourite performance of his. From the first scene he is in, he is chilling and unsettling. He exudes evil and violence without saying or doing anything. It reminded me of Hopkins' Lecter in the way that I fully believed that the character was sinister with an evil lurking inside, before they had done anything to lead me to that conclusion. It really is a stunning performance from Depp.
I also like the fact that the film backed it's story. It almost seemed understated at times and it didn't go in for any gimics. It reminded me of an episode of the Sopranos in the way that it was shot and in the pace of it.
What could be better
It was a bit choppy. The story has so many strands, with so many players but it fails to fully pull the strands together to create one incredible story. There are plots strands involving Bulger's relationship with his gang, his enemies, his brother, The FBI, other agencies and others, going on throughout the film but it doesn't always take enough time with each and it doesn't seem to flow as well as it could.
Other films. The film is a true story and has that advantage over other films that are similar but some of the other films that are 'fictional' or semi fictional seem to do it slightly better. Films like 'The Departed', 'Goodfellas' etc flow better and seem just a little bit better.
I think that in part is that they seem to focus more on the violence of the protagonists. This film does show that violence without question but doesn't seem to want to highlight it.
As I said in the 'Things I liked' section, the films seemed a bit like an episode of 'The Sopranos' that was also a bit of a problem. Part of me wishes that it was an episode, as there was so much of the story that was untold that I wanted to be told. The relationships between many of the main characters was fundamental to the film but it was kind of mentioned but I felt there was some context lacking. I would have liked it to have focused on this a bit more. That is one of the areas where I think Scorsese get's it right in 'The Departed.
Overall
I really enjoyed this, and it feels like one of those films that you seem to be more impressed with the more that you think about it.
Depp was incredible and like all good biopics it has me opening 'Google' as soon as it has finished.
It is a good film but with a bit more it could have been great.
Black Mass (2015)
This is a biographical crime film that focuses on the criminal career of James 'Whitey' Bulger and the 'Winter hill gang' in Boston.
I really enjoyed this film. It was done really well, developed the characters well and gave an insight into most of them.
It could however have been a great film. The film is based on a book entitled 'The unholy alliance between the FBI and Bulger'. Therefore that is where the majority of the film is focused.
Depp as James 'Whitey' Bulger
The film is well shot and I was engaged from start to finish. It is always a bit easier for me to become engrossed when i know that these things actually happened. When I know that it takes away the temptation to say "that could never happen"
Joel Edgerton as FBI agent John Connolly
What I liked
The cast - This film does boast a superb cast with the likes of Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton, Dakota Johnson, Kevin Bacon, Jesse Plemons, Peter Sarsgaard, Corey Stoll to name some of them.
Depp's performance - Johnny Depp is a highly talented and versatile actor and this is probably my favourite performance of his. From the first scene he is in, he is chilling and unsettling. He exudes evil and violence without saying or doing anything. It reminded me of Hopkins' Lecter in the way that I fully believed that the character was sinister with an evil lurking inside, before they had done anything to lead me to that conclusion. It really is a stunning performance from Depp.
I also like the fact that the film backed it's story. It almost seemed understated at times and it didn't go in for any gimics. It reminded me of an episode of the Sopranos in the way that it was shot and in the pace of it.
What could be better
It was a bit choppy. The story has so many strands, with so many players but it fails to fully pull the strands together to create one incredible story. There are plots strands involving Bulger's relationship with his gang, his enemies, his brother, The FBI, other agencies and others, going on throughout the film but it doesn't always take enough time with each and it doesn't seem to flow as well as it could.
Other films. The film is a true story and has that advantage over other films that are similar but some of the other films that are 'fictional' or semi fictional seem to do it slightly better. Films like 'The Departed', 'Goodfellas' etc flow better and seem just a little bit better.
I think that in part is that they seem to focus more on the violence of the protagonists. This film does show that violence without question but doesn't seem to want to highlight it.
As I said in the 'Things I liked' section, the films seemed a bit like an episode of 'The Sopranos' that was also a bit of a problem. Part of me wishes that it was an episode, as there was so much of the story that was untold that I wanted to be told. The relationships between many of the main characters was fundamental to the film but it was kind of mentioned but I felt there was some context lacking. I would have liked it to have focused on this a bit more. That is one of the areas where I think Scorsese get's it right in 'The Departed.
Overall
I really enjoyed this, and it feels like one of those films that you seem to be more impressed with the more that you think about it.
Depp was incredible and like all good biopics it has me opening 'Google' as soon as it has finished.
It is a good film but with a bit more it could have been great.