Black Mass

Black Mass

Starring Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson

Directed by Scott Cooper

The Story:
In south Boston in the 70s, James "Whitey" Bulger (Johnny Depp) was a small time gangster and the leader of the Winter Hill Gang.  Their main competition is the Angiulo Family, who has ties to the mob.  When Whitey's old friend John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) returns to south Boston as a FBI agent, Connolly decides on a mutually beneficial agreement between himself and Bolger - to make Whitey a FBI informant, and he looks the other way during Whitey's crimes.

Soon Whitey advances to the top kingpin in Boston, and Connolly rises among the ranks of the FBI.  As the years progress, their alliance begins to become unhinged as Whitey's actions become more and more deadly, leading to the complete unraveling of the truce between the two men.

The Synopsis:
Going into the film, I didn't know a lot about the Whitey Bulger story, except he was number one on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List.  He was captured in 2011, sixteen years after he fled Boston.  He currently is serving two life sentences for his crimes.

"Black Mass" tells his story - from his iconic rise to power to his fall from grace.  Is it completely, 100% accurate?  Probably not.  No "true life" film ever tells the entire story, because it's impossible to do.  So I went into the film not expecting a 20/20 documentary, but a film that's embellished some of the real facts to tell an intriguing story.

And an intriguing story it was.  "Black Mass" is on par with other mobster films like "Goodfellas," "The Godfather" and "The Departed" as a thrilling tale of a mobster's rise to power, and the nefarious deeds he did in order to achieve his greatness. 

While watching the film, I not only had inclinations of those previous classics, but I also felt it had an "Out of the Furnace" feel to it, then I learned director Scott Cooper also directed that underrated thriller.  Not only did "Black Mass" had an accomplished director at its helm, but also two of the best actors out there taking the lead roles.

First up is Joel Edgerton, who just released the film "The Gift," and once again delivers a powerful performance as the flawed FBI agent John Connolly, who chose loyalty over job, as he managed to protect Whitey's actions from the law for several years, in exchange for his information.  Connolly was an egotistical, megalomaniac who gave up everything in order to have more, and it all eventually came crashing down on him.  Edgerton portrayed this flawlessly, once again establishing him as one of the actors to look out for.

However, the main focus of the film is Whitey himself, and for that, Cooper cast Johnny Depp in the role, which was a gamble.  Depp has been known to really dive into his roles and use extensive makeup and prosthetics (see "Edward Scissorhands," "Pirates of the Caribbean," or "Dark Secrets" to understand my meaning).  Depp has also been more known for his role as Captain Jack Sparrow, or as Tim Burton's go-to guy for any film he's done in the last ten years.  All of which were more a comedic performance, and not so much the dramatic roles.  What's more is that Depp's record hasn't been the best, with his last several films ("Mortdecai," "Transcendence," "The Lone Ranger," "Dark Shadows" and "The Rum Diary") were all flops in the box office.  So for Scott Cooper to take a chance on Depp was risky to say the least.

However, the risk paid off.  Not only was this Depp's finest performance of his career, it also re-solidified him as a dramatic actor, and, more than likely, an a fourth Oscar nominee (he was nominated previously for "Sweeney Todd," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Finding Neverland").  His turn from slaphappy pirate and unwitting vampire to one of America's most prolific and deadly mob bosses was something to behold, and he gave such an indelible performance that you didn't even know it was him.  That's the mark of a great actor - when you can watch a film he's in, and not associate that you're seeing him playing a character.  You fully believed he was Bulger, not just with his acting but also the addition of the prostetics, makeup, and especially the contacts.  Whitey was ruthless, and Depp was ruthless in the role.  Truly one of his best performances over his extended career.

The supporting cast excelled at their performances as well.  From Benedict Cumberbatch's role as Bulger's Senator brother to Dakota Johnson as Whitey's longsuffering girlfriend, to Kevin Bacon's role as Connolly's boss, everyone brought their A game, and it showed.

The Summary:
With a fascinating script, excellent cinematography and a once-in-a-lifetime performance by Johnny Depp, "Black Mass" delivered in every aspect, and I'd be shocked to not see a few Oscar nominations coming their way.

The Score: A