Black Mass (15.)
Directed by Scott Cooper.
Starring Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, David Harbour and Kevin Bacon. 122 mins
Besides some broad physical overlaps – possession of two eyes, one nose etc. – I have one thing in common with Johnny Depp: a deep appreciation for the work of American gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. Depp narrated a documentary on him, was in attendance at his funeral and has twice appeared as him in adaptations of his books. Such is his passion for playing the role of Hunter S. he now seems be choosing roles that allow him to look like Thompson again. So though he is playing the role of Whitey Bolger, a notorious gangster turned FBI informant, the man you see looking down at you from the posters with the imposing bald dome and dark glasses looks very much like Thompson. In the film this is tempered by taking on Ed Harris's voice and a vampiric make over.
In the 70s Bolger was a hood in South Boston who got lucky when a friend from school days, Connolly (Edgerton) returns to the city as a big time FBI agent. With a headful of baloney about de loyalty of de streets and perhaps a little star struck at, he supposes, dealing with a childhood idol on equal terms, he suggests they team up to defeat the local Mafia. Once his information helps put the Cosa Nostra bosses away, he's able to run wild and be as blood thirsty and callous as they ever were, while all the time his inside man is protecting him and pre-warning him of any FBI investigation.
Black Mass is a slick, but clipped, crime drama production with a testosterone heavy cast all trying to put 97 different inflections to the phrase motherf*****. It's all quality stuff yet still feels like a tired shake down, a Quitegoodfellas. The rats get capped, everybody loves their mum and overdoes the local accent, and they sit around a kitchen table with some beers and talk about the old days – eh, we woz just kids den, look at us now. There is even a “What do you mean funny? Funny how?” speech. If you like this stuff than this will be all fine and good but you may feel the subject deserves something more than this American hustle.
It's one of those gangster films that claims to show us a deglamorised vision of crime while obviously doing the opposite, humanising them just enough, showing just enough extreme violence to make it seem kind of cool and by having Depp in the lead role, albeit with a receding hairline. Depp, more energised than he's been in at least half a decade, provides the film with what spark it has, though the satanic menace he gives him probably flatters the real life Bulger. But then so does making a film about him.
Black Mass (15.)
Directed by Scott Cooper.
Starring Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, David Harbour and Kevin Bacon. 122 mins
Besides some broad physical overlaps – possession of two eyes, one nose etc. – I have one thing in common with Johnny Depp: a deep appreciation for the work of American gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. Depp narrated a documentary on him, was in attendance at his funeral and has twice appeared as him in adaptations of his books. Such is his passion for playing the role of Hunter S. he now seems be choosing roles that allow him to look like Thompson again. So though he is playing the role of Whitey Bolger, a notorious gangster turned FBI informant, the man you see looking down at you from the posters with the imposing bald dome and dark glasses looks very much like Thompson. In the film this is tempered by taking on Ed Harris's voice and a vampiric make over.
In the 70s Bolger was a hood in South Boston who got lucky when a friend from school days, Connolly (Edgerton) returns to the city as a big time FBI agent. With a headful of baloney about de loyalty of de streets and perhaps a little star struck at, he supposes, dealing with a childhood idol on equal terms, he suggests they team up to defeat the local Mafia. Once his information helps put the Cosa Nostra bosses away, he's able to run wild and be as blood thirsty and callous as they ever were, while all the time his inside man is protecting him and pre-warning him of any FBI investigation.
Black Mass is a slick, but clipped, crime drama production with a testosterone heavy cast all trying to put 97 different inflections to the phrase motherf*****. It's all quality stuff yet still feels like a tired shake down, a Quitegoodfellas. The rats get capped, everybody loves their mum and overdoes the local accent, and they sit around a kitchen table with some beers and talk about the old days – eh, we woz just kids den, look at us now. There is even a “What do you mean funny? Funny how?” speech. If you like this stuff than this will be all fine and good but you may feel the subject deserves something more than this American hustle.
It's one of those gangster films that claims to show us a deglamorised vision of crime while obviously doing the opposite, humanising them just enough, showing just enough extreme violence to make it seem kind of cool and by having Depp in the lead role, albeit with a receding hairline. Depp, more energised than he's been in at least half a decade, provides the film with what spark it has, though the satanic menace he gives him probably flatters the real life Bulger. But then so does making a film about him.
