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| Johnny Depp & Joel Edgerton (r) star in Black Mass |
Strictly Criminal
Rotten Tomatoes Plot: In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James "Whitey" Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidate power, and become one of the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in Boston history.
Bulger's a "smart, stable mother-fucker." Not sure about stable, but in Depp's capable hands (and steely eyes) he may be one of the scariest cinematic mobsters ever. Black Mass is long (122 minutes) decidedly dark, and light on humor (save for Julianne Nicholson's "How was he good to you? Did he take you trick-or-treating?) That said, it's a mesmerizing film with a grown-up cast and an Oscar-worthy turn from Depp. Bulger was a monster, and even one of Hollywood's biggest stars can't sully (or sugarcoat) that image. Depp suggests, "If nobody sees it, it didn't happen." Our advice? See it.
Grade: B
