Review by Joseph Anthony
James “Whitey” Bulger is a bad man. Murder, extortion, narcotics and money laundering are just part of his rap sheet. For decades (when he wasn’t doing time at Alcatraz), Bulger was running the south side of Boston under the nose of the Italian mob. Getting drugs into the hands of Boston’s youth, exporting illegal arms to the people’s rebellion in Ireland, and killing anyone who might set off his sensitive paranoia, all while eluding capture by the FBI. Perhaps though, as BLACK MASS points out, eluding is the wrong word.
James “Whitey” Bulger is a bad man. Murder, extortion, narcotics and money laundering are just part of his rap sheet. For decades (when he wasn’t doing time at Alcatraz), Bulger was running the south side of Boston under the nose of the Italian mob. Getting drugs into the hands of Boston’s youth, exporting illegal arms to the people’s rebellion in Ireland, and killing anyone who might set off his sensitive paranoia, all while eluding capture by the FBI. Perhaps though, as BLACK MASS points out, eluding is the wrong word.
BLACK MASS tells us two tales over the course of three
decades: one of Bulger’s activities, and the other of corruption within the FBI.
Federal agent John Connolly, a childhood friend of Bulger, believes loyalty is
everything - even if your job title requires arresting guys like Bulger.
Connolly convinces his colleagues at the FBI to use Bulger as an informant; the
FBI turns a blind eye to Bulger’s dealings in exchange for information that
would help take down his enemy, the Italian mob. Connolly is intoxicated by Bulger’s
acceptance, something not easily won, and Connolly’s corruption within the
bureau allows Bulger to do his worst.
While Connolly stalls the FBI from looking into Bulger,
Whitey and his gang partake in every illegal prospect possible, becoming rich
in the process. BLACK MASS gives us glimpses into the tragedies Bulger suffered
in his personal life during this time period, but the film never asks you
to sympathize with Bulger, a man who would just as soon bury you under a bridge as
help you with the groceries (both of which he does).
Just six years after starring as John Dillinger in PUBLIC
ENEMIES, Johnny Depp tackles another American criminal mastermind as James “Whitey”
Bulger. Depp transforms into the Boston gangster in every way. Makeup artists make it nearly impossible to
spot Depp, and it’s refreshing to see him get so completely lost in a role,
particularly after an inconsistent half-decade (MORTDECAI, THE TOURIST, THE
LONE RANGER, DARK SHADOWS, and did I mention MORTDECAI?). Hopefully gone are
the days of being stuck to every Tim Burton CGI-fest.
While Depp remains popular, in part because of his hugely
successful PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise, BLACK MASS reminds us of the
depth of Depp’s talent. It’s impossible to miss how completely entrenched he
is in Bulger. Under his thinning blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, Depp
transfigures and gives us perhaps his best performance since 2001’s BLOW
(though I did love his cameo in Kevin Smith’s TUSK). His take on Bulger is never
less than engaging and always deeply menacing, even if restrained for most its
two-hour running time.
The cast is incredibly well rounded, and as a result, so are
the characters. It doesn’t take long to get to know any of our players. Joel Edgerton
- who just came off of writing, directing and co-starring in the fantastic THE
GIFT - plays the crooked FBI agent, Connolly. Edgerton strikes all the right
notes as Bulger’s Fed-friend. Many of the supporting roles are brief, but effective.
Benedict Cumberbatch plays Whitey’s brother, Billy, a Massachusetts State
Senator. Peter Sarsgaard is a strung out and twitchy accomplice. Jesse Plemons
(BREAKING BAD) is Bulger’s trusty handy man. Kevin Bacon and Adam Scott serve
as higher ups at the FBI. The list goes on and on with heavy hitters, but it’s
simpler to say, everyone earns their check on BLACK MASS.
If BLACK MASS struggles, it’s in the fact that it offers nothing
new to the mob-genre and is weighed down by a sluggish script. While it keeps
the audience's interest, it’s never as thrilling or gritty as one might hope.
Depp himself admitted last week on Jimmy Kimmel’s show that he fell asleep 15 times
during a screening. You won’t find yourself falling asleep, but you won’t be
hooting and hollering from excitement either. The best thrills are sequences in
which Bulger intimidates those around him, wearing them down with crushing
words and imagery, not the inevitable shot to the head.
BLACK MASS, much like Bulger himself, is slow moving and
calculated. Unfortunately, at times the tone and pace feel more like
restrictions for a good movie that’s dying to be great. Slow and steady seems
to be a pattern for director Scott Cooper, whose past films include the indie
gem CRAZY HEART and 2013’s gritty, albeit underwhelming, OUT OF THE FURNACE.
In a genre chock full of masterwork (THE GODFATHER, THE
SOPRANOS, anything Martin Scorsese touches), BLACK MASS feels like a minor
work. But with performances that shine, it’s one worthy of consideration. 3 out of 4 stars
I can say that every element of the filmmaking is top notch like cast.Proof that even after all this time, audiences haven't even begun to see everything that Johnny Depp is capable of.
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